Stunning Legal Assistant Resume Examples for This Year

Structure of a Legal Assistant Resume

The first step to writing a great resume is to choose the right resume format. You’ll choose between the chronological format, the functional format and the combination format. The format you choose will depend on what you specifically want to highlight. Once you’ve decided on a format, you can continue and choose content for each of your resume sections.

Header

In your header, include your contact information. This can include your phone number, email address and professional social media links, like your LinkedIn.

Resume summary/objective

The two- or three-sentence paragraph at the very top of your resume is your summary or objective. A resume summary is best for people with lots of experience, showcasing that experience and your biggest achievements. A resume objective is better for those with less experience, showcasing your skills and talent.

Skills

The skills section for a legal assistant job must include hard skills and soft skills. These skills allow you to work in a law office in a number of different contexts. Here are a few bullet points to keep in mind as you’re developing your legal assistant skills:

• Reading legal documents
• Scheduling depositions
• Making phone calls
• Legal research skills
• Finding case files and court filings
• Communication skills
• Time management
• Preparing pleadings, subpoenas and motions
• Providing administrative support
• Writing affidavits
• General document management
• Interpersonal skills
• Understanding legal terminology
• Managing spreadsheets
• General trial preparation

The best way to approach resume writing is to look at the job listing before you start writing your skills, then reflect the listed skills to the hiring manager.

Work history

You may not need years of work experience to get a job as an entry-level legal secretary, but it can help to have work experience in your field. List up to ten years of experience in your specific field; a paralegal looking to work for a law firm will do best listing experience with other law firms, for example.

Education

In the education section, a paralegal or legal assistant should have a two-year associate degree, usually in paralegal studies. You may also choose to get a bachelor’s degree to improve your professional resume. You can also include other certifications, showing that you’re legally allowed to practice as a legal professional in your state.