2022 Legal Assistant Resume Example & Tips

A Legal Assistant is responsible for many tasks, including serving as the primary support for attorneys. A legal assistant must be detail-oriented and have excellent communication skills. You should include your experience as a Legal Assistant and any awards or honors you’ve received on your resume. 

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Start your Legal Assistant resume with a summary statement

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The summary statement is a one or two sentence introduction to your resume. It should summarize the most important aspects of your career goals and experience and provide a general overview of what you’ll be able to bring to an employer if they select you for an interview. This is not where you list every job you’ve ever held or every skill set on your resume, but rather where you highlight the most relevant information about yourself and what makes you stand out as a candidate for this position.

The best way to write a summary statement is in the first person (i.e., “I am…”) using active verbs that are specific enough so that someone reading it has no doubt as to whom they’re reading about (“I developed…” instead of “Developed…”). You should use good grammar throughout this section, including proper capitalization and punctuation within the two sentences of text itself; don’t use all caps either! The information should be presented without any typos or grammatical errors at all; take care not only with spelling but also with capitalization, apostrophes, commas and other punctuation marks (you may want someone else proofread before submitting!).

Emphasize organization skills on your Legal Assistant resume

Organization is another key part of the job. The Legal Assistant will be responsible for ensuring that the office runs smoothly and efficiently, which involves keeping track of a lot of documents and making sure they are organized in a logical way. Because this is such an important trait for any legal assistant to have on their resume, you should make sure to emphasize your organizational skills. This could include things like:

  • Using software such as Microsoft Office Suite in order to organize data;

  • Keeping track of time sheets;

  • Organizing files and folders so that they can be easily accessed by other members of staff or clients; and

  • Ensuring that all documents related to each case are stored in a secure place so that nothing gets lost or misplaced during the course of litigation (this includes everything from court transcripts to emails).

Legal Assistant Resume Writing Tip #1

Show you’re helpful. When writing your resume, be sure to emphasize any experience you have that shows how helpful and resourceful you are in your current or past jobs. This will help employers see that you’re a great fit for the position they’re looking to fill.

Show the hiring manager you’re reliable

Reliability is the most important quality a legal assistant can have. It’s not enough to be accurate, you need to be timely as well. As a legal assistant, it’s your job to complete tasks on time and without errors. The hiring manager must know that you will meet deadlines and that they can depend on you to follow instructions and perform tasks correctly.

Your Legal Assistant resume should be professional

A professional resume will give you a leg up in the competition. The following are some basic guidelines to consider when writing your Legal Assistant resume:

  • Use a professional format: Use an easy-to-read format that includes sections such as Education, Work Experience, Skills and Achievements. While this may seem like common sense, many people choose to use a personal resume format rather than a typical business one. This can quickly turn off potential employers who are looking for someone who knows how to present themselves professionally.

  • Use clean and organized layout: Your resume should have plenty of white space surrounding each section of information on the page so that it’s easy for readers’ eyes to find where they need help finding their way through your document without getting lost along the way! Avoid using distracting colors like bright red or neon green; instead opt for neutral tones like black or dark blue text against white backgrounds so everything about your document looks professional from start (the heading) all the way through its finish , which should include only relevant contact information.

    Legal Assistant Resume Writing Tip #2

    Be personable. Legal assistants are also people—with feelings and families and hopes and dreams—and when we read your resume, we want to see some of those things. Make sure you include some personal details about yourself! We want to know what makes you tick, what makes your heart sing (or cry), and why we should hire you.

      Highlight resume experience that match the Legal Assistant job description

      You have a lot of experience, but how do you show it on your resume?

      How to match your skills to the job description: The first thing to do when writing a resume is look at the job description. It should give you an idea of what they want and how to highlight your experience in the right way.

      Highlight resume experience that match the Legal Assistant job description: Look through your past work experiences and identify any tasks or duties that are similar to those listed in the job posting. By highlighting these experiences, you’re showing that you have some familiarity with this type of work and skill set – which can be valuable when applying for assistant positions at law firms.

      Use legal office terms and phrases to show you’re experienced

      The best way to show that you are experienced is by using legal terms and phrases. The following is a list of some common terms used in the legal field:

      • subpoena

      • summons

      • summons and complaint

      • civil action

      Legal Assistant Resume Writing Tip #3

      Proofread for mistakes. Mistakes on resumes can be costly—they could cost you an interview or even an offer! Don’t let that happen by making sure everything is spelled correctly and grammatically correct before submitting it for review by hiring managers or HR departments.

        Show off your ability to multitask

        It can be difficult to manage multiple projects at once, so show off your ability to do so. You could say something like, “I’m comfortable working on several projects at once, prioritizing and switching between tasks as necessary in order to meet tight deadlines.” This shows that you’re able to prioritize tasks and switch between them quickly and efficiently. You could also mention how you work independently or with a team—or both! Showing that you can work independently shows that you don’t need constant supervision or direction from others, which is vital for legal assistants who will often be working unsupervised. Working with teams demonstrates ability to collaborate with others in order for the team as a whole to succeed—this is an important skill for legal assistants who often work in collaborative environments where one person’s failure can jeopardize another’s success (i.e., if someone fails on one project because they didn’t have enough time or resources). Lastly, being able to work well with clients shows that not only are you good at communicating verbally but also know how best present information visually via written documents (which is what most attorneys prefer).

        Conclusion

        Now that you know how to write a Legal Assistant resume, it’s time to put your new knowledge into practice! Remember to make sure your resume is professional, highlight the experience that matches the job description and show off your ability to multitask.