How to write a paralegal resume
A paralegal resume leads with litigation support done at volume - e-discovery, document review, and legal research in Westlaw and LexisNexis - with matter and document counts. Name your NALA Certified Paralegal credential, reference Bluebook citation, and show deposition and trial preparation on real matters.
What recruiters and ATS look for in a paralegal resume
Paralegal hiring rewards named tools and quantified volume. ATS filters look for Westlaw, LexisNexis, e-discovery platforms, and the NALA CP certification, while attorneys want matter counts, document review totals, and trial-prep experience.
Section order: Summary → Experience → Skills → Certifications → Education.
ATS keywords for a paralegal resume
These are the keywords most paralegal job descriptions use as ATS-filter inputs. Include the ones you genuinely have evidence for in your Skills section.
Starter Skills section
A starting point for your Skills section. Prune to what you genuinely have evidence for.
Best action verbs for paralegal bullets
Lead every bullet with a strong, specific verb. For this role, the strongest openers are:
Example bullet points (before → after)
Three rewrites following the action-verb / quantified-outcome pattern. Replace the specifics with your own. Never invent numbers.
More paralegal bullet examples
Three more starter bullets in the same pattern. Swap the bracketed placeholders for your real numbers.
Common paralegal resume mistakes
The patterns that get paralegal resumes filtered out, and what to do instead.
Paralegal resume FAQ
Yes - the NALA Certified Paralegal (CP) credential belongs in a Certifications section and the summary as a top ATS term.
Name Westlaw and LexisNexis explicitly, plus e-discovery platforms like Relativity that you have operated.
Use matter counts, document review volumes, filings supported, and depositions or trials prepared.
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