Paralegal Resume Example
A paralegal resume that shows the practice areas you support, the documents you draft and the deadlines you protect.
How to write a paralegal resume that lands interviews
A great paralegal resume isn't a list of responsibilities — it's a tight stack of quantified outcomes, written in language an ATS scores and a human reader believes. Below: the 8 bullets a strong candidate uses, the 4 they avoid, the keywords the ATS expects, the pay figures to anchor your negotiation against, and the FAQs we hear most often.
Sample bullets — good vs weak
Each “good” bullet leads with the outcome, includes a measurable result, and shows scope. The “weak” versions describe activities without showing impact. Use these as templates; rewrite them in your own voice with your real numbers.
✅ Bullets that get the call
- Supported 3 litigation attorneys on about 60 active civil cases, tracking every court deadline in the case management system with no missed filing.
- Drafted initial discovery requests and responses, cutting attorney drafting time on routine sets by roughly half.
- Reviewed and coded 4,500 documents for responsiveness and privilege in one production, finishing two days before the deadline.
- Prepared trial binders and exhibit lists for 6 trials, organizing 300 exhibits each with a numbered index.
- Interviewed clients at intake, gathered documents and summarized facts in one-page memos for the attorney.
- Filed pleadings through the court e-filing system and confirmed acceptance, keeping a log of every filing.
- Researched case law and statutes and wrote short memos with citations, which attorneys used in motions.
- Recorded time entries accurately, helping the firm bill about 1,350 hours a year for my work.
❌ Bullets to rewrite
- Assisted attorneys with legal work.
- Handled filing and paperwork.
- Detail oriented and trustworthy.
- Responsible for cases and documents.
ATS keywords to weave into your bullets
The four-component ATS rubric weights keyword density inside experience bullets more heavily than the keywords-only skills section. These are the 14+ keywords most often scored on a paralegal resume — fold them into your bullets where they're honestly applicable.
Paralegal salary
Annual pay across the United States, as published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Half of these workers earn between the 25th and 75th percentile figures. Your offer will depend on the state, the employer and the shift.
| Annual pay | Amount |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $45k |
| 25th percentile | $50k |
| Median | $63k |
| 75th percentile | $80k |
| 90th percentile | $102k |
Want a deeper salary breakdown by city + role + experience? See the full Paralegal salary guide →
Common mistakes (and how to fix them)
- Vague phrases like 'assisted attorneys'Fix: Name the documents, cases and filings with numbers.
- Implying you practice lawFix: Describe work as under attorney supervision.
- No software listedFix: Name research, e-filing and case management tools.
- Ignoring practice areaFix: State your practice area in the summary.
ATS tips specific to paralegal resumes
- Use the posting's title, such as 'Paralegal' or 'Litigation Paralegal'.
- Spell out terms like 'discovery', 'document review' and 'e-filing'.
- List certifications, if you have them, in a Certifications section with the issuing body.
- Keep the layout plain; avoid text boxes that parsers skip.
Frequently asked questions
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Start freeAbout this guideThe ApplyVita Career Team — The ApplyVita Career Team builds the resume-scoring and job-matching tools at the core of ApplyVita. Our guidance is grounded in the same four-component ATS rubric our product scores resumes on — content and impact, keyword match, formatting, and skills — and in current recruiter and hiring-manager practice. Every guide is checked against that rubric before it is published, and updated as hiring norms change.