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Paralegal resume example

A resume for a litigation paralegal with eight years of experience and two certifications. Attorneys and legal recruiters hire paralegals on practice area, case volume, technology and trial experience, so each bullet shows one of those with a number.

Paralegal resume example, page 1 of 1Rosalind MwangiSenior Litigation ParalegalSUMMARYLitigation paralegal with eight years in commercial, employment andpersonal injury cases, from first pleadings through trial. I run e-discoveryreviews, build trial binders and exhibit lists that hold up in court, and keeplarge case files in order so attorneys can find anything in seconds.EXPERIENCESenior Litigation ParalegalMar 2021 – PresentTrinity Bend LLP · Dallas, TX•Support 4 partners and 6 associates on 30 to 40 active commercial andemployment cases in Texas state and federal courts.•Managed a Relativity review of 1.2 million documents in a contractdispute, setting up search terms and coding with the vendor; reviewfinished 3 weeks early.•Prepared exhibits, witness binders and trial notebooks for 5 jury trialsand 3 arbitrations, including a 9-day federal jury trial.•Draft discovery requests and responses, subpoenas and privilege logsof up to 2,000 entries.•Train and supervise 2 paralegals and wrote the team’s case-openingand docketing checklist.Litigation ParalegalJun 2018 – Feb 2021Whitlock & Sauceda, P.C. · Dallas, TX•Managed about 60 personal injury and insurance defense files for 3attorneys.•Summarized 120 depositions and built medical chronologies for 45cases.EDUCATIONParalegal Certificate2017 – 2018Southern Methodist University · Dallas, TXB.A. in Political Science2013 – 2017University of North Texas · Denton, TXCONTACTrosalind.mwangi@example.com(214) 555-0172Dallas, TXlinkedin.com/in/rosalindmwangiCERTIFICATIONSBoard Certified Paralegal, CivilTrial LawTexas Board of LegalSpecialization · 2023Certified Paralegal (CP)NALA · 2019SKILLSRelativityWestlawPACER and CM/ECFeFileTexasLitigation calendaringDiscovery and privilege logsTrial preparationTrialDirectorDeposition summariesMedical chronologiesDocument productionsiManageExcel
ParalegalUse this example

What recruiters look for

  • Practice area: litigation, corporate, real estate, IP, immigration, family. Paralegal skills differ by area.
  • Case volume and complexity: how many matters, in which courts, how large the document sets were.
  • E-discovery and technology: Relativity, Everlaw or Disco, plus trial presentation software.
  • Trial and hearing experience: exhibits, witness binders, trial notebooks and work in the courtroom.
  • Certification: a national or state paralegal certification signals commitment and is a tiebreaker for senior roles.

Writing the summary

Give your practice area, years and the kinds of courts or transactions you work on, then your strongest skill (e-discovery, trial preparation, closings). Mention certifications at the end.

The summary in this example

Litigation paralegal with eight years in commercial, employment and personal injury cases, from first pleadings through trial. I run e-discovery reviews, build trial binders and exhibit lists that hold up in court, and keep large case files in order so attorneys can find anything in seconds.

Corporate or transactional paralegal

Corporate paralegal with six years supporting M&A and venture financing work, managing closing checklists for 40 transactions and entity records for 300 companies. I keep data rooms, signature pages and filings in order so closings happen on the day planned.

Paralegal planning to go to law school

Litigation paralegal with three years at a commercial firm, drafting discovery and research memos for 6 attorneys. Applying to law school for fall 2027 and looking for a role with heavy writing and research in the meantime.

Bullet points that work

Strong lines for this role, beyond the ones in the example. Borrow the shape and put in your own numbers.

  • Prepared and organized 2,500 exhibits for a 3-week jury trial, with no exhibit challenged for authentication.
  • Cut document production time by 40% by building review templates and saved searches in Relativity.
  • Managed closing checklists for 25 corporate transactions worth a combined $600 million.
  • Drafted 200 sets of written discovery and responses a year for attorney review.
  • Maintained the docket for 150 federal and state cases with no missed deadlines in 5 years.
  • Ran the hot seat with trial presentation software during 4 trials, displaying exhibits on cue.
  • Coordinated 60 depositions in a mass tort case across 9 states.
  • Wrote the firm’s litigation hold procedures, adopted by 3 practice groups.
  • Researched and summarized case law for 30 motions under attorney supervision.
  • Reduced outside vendor costs by $80,000 a year by bringing small productions in-house.

Skills to list

Hard skills

  • E-discovery platforms (Relativity, Everlaw, Disco)
  • Legal research (Westlaw, Lexis+)
  • Court e-filing (PACER, CM/ECF and state systems)
  • Discovery drafting and privilege logs
  • Trial preparation and presentation (TrialDirector, OnCue)
  • Docketing and calendaring
  • Deposition and medical record summaries
  • Document management (iManage, NetDocuments)

Soft skills

  • Precision under deadline
  • Anticipating attorneys’ needs
  • Managing several cases at once
  • Professional discretion

Certifications and licenses worth listing

  • NALA Certified Paralegal (CP): the most widely recognized national paralegal certification.
  • NFPA PACE Registered Paralegal (RP) or CORE Registered Paralegal (CRP): the National Federation of Paralegal Associations’ credentials, also recognized nationally.
  • State board certification (for example the Texas Board of Legal Specialization for paralegals in Civil Trial Law): a strong signal in states that offer it.
  • Relativity Certified User or Review Specialist: worth listing for e-discovery-heavy roles.

Length and format

One page for most paralegals; two at senior level if you list representative cases or trials. A two-column layout keeps certifications and the long software list visible beside your experience.

Common mistakes

  • Listing tasks without volume (“drafted discovery”) when a number shows level (“200 sets a year”).
  • Hiding trial experience in the middle of a bullet. Trials are a top reason paralegals get hired.
  • Naming clients or confidential matters. Describe by type and size.
  • Leaving out e-discovery platforms, which recruiters search for directly.

Questions and answers

Is paralegal certification required?

In most states, no. But many firms prefer it, and some pay more for it. NALA’s CP and NFPA’s RP are national; a few states have their own board certifications.

Should a paralegal list cases they worked on?

Only by type and size, or by name if the case is public and your firm allows it. A short “representative matters” list can help at senior level.

How do I move from litigation to corporate paralegal work?

Lead with transferable skills (deadline management, document organization, drafting) and add any transactional exposure, even small. A short course in corporate or contract work helps.

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