How to Write a Paralegal CV with Examples and Tips

Pursuing a career as a paralegal starts with knowing how to write a good CV to stand out in this competitive field. Whether applying to established law firms, government bodies, or corporate sectors, you must highlight relevant legal experience and interpersonal skills. This role demands diverse responsibilities such as preparing briefs, managing cases, court reporting, collaborating with clients and ensuring compliance with strict legal procedures.

Law varies across industries like real estate and tech in important ways. In real estate, legal work revolves around property transactions, zoning laws, and contracts. In tech, lawyers focus on intellectual property, data privacy, and emerging issues like AI regulation and cybersecurity. Each industry requires specialised legal expertise to navigate its unique challenges.

Our guide assists legal undergraduates in finding their first job or advises seasoned legal professionals to progress their careers. Start by using a modern paralegal CV template for UK jobs, optimised for application tracking systems (ATS), to improve your chances of being among the 25% successful candidates shortlisted for an interview.

In this article, we cover:

• How to tailor your paralegal CV for different legal roles.

• What is the best CV format for paralegals?

• Tips for writing a successful paralegal CV with no experience.

• Essential sections and information to include.

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Paralegal CV example 

Download this sample CV for a paralegal job in the UK

In this paralegal CV example, Fallon highlights her legal experience in case preparation, research, and documentation drafting. Her career progression from junior to senior roles and measurable achievements demonstrate her ability to manage diverse caseloads and paralegal responsibilities. She also holds relevant LLB legal qualifications. This Auckland CV template organises her background in a structured format.

What to include in a paralegal CV? 

Given the broad demand for legal expertise across various sectors, a clear CV is essential for paralegals. First, since you'll likely apply to a wide range of roles throughout your career, it’s beneficial to create a master CV. This comprehensive document lists all your qualifications, experience, and skills and is easily tailored for job-specific applications.

Remember, if you’re sending applications out via email, a quality CV needs an equally well-crafted paralegal cover letter example.

Must-have CV sections for a paralegal CV:

• Personal details: Include your full name, phone number, email address, location or LinkedIn profile. If you're self-employed, consider adding a personal website.

• Personal profile: showcase your unique strengths and soft skills, such as communication, time management, and key paralegal specialisms. Tailor your profile to reflect your career goals or achievements.

• Work experience: describe relevant work experience in reverse chronological order. Focus on specific paralegal responsibilities such as drafting pleadings, preparing court documents, and managing caseloads.

• Skills: demonstrate your ability to work with people, mention interpersonal skills, and highlight technical skills like documentation drafting and legal research.

• Education: mention relevant qualifications or coursework, such as LLB, LPC legal qualifications, a paralegal practice diploma, HNC, or equivalent foundation degree.

• Courses and certificates: list the completion of relevant courses (e.g., paralegal practice award, legal secretary certificate, immigration law course (Law Society Accredited), corporate law training (CILEx or equivalent), contract law certificate (CPD accredited).

• Additional sections (optional): consider listing hobbies or interests, languages, publications, or references if they are relevant to your job targets.

Explore our lawyer or civil service CV examples to inspire what to include in your CV for a paralegal job.

How to write a paralegal CV with no experience 

When crafting an entry-level paralegal CV with no formal legal experience, focus on the following:

1. List transferable skills, even if you gained them from non-legal environments.

2. Prioritise finding legal courses to boost your CV.

3. If you're a recent graduate and entering the workforce, reference study skills gained from professional internships or research projects that match the paralegal job description.

4. A skills-based CV format is ideal for showcasing interpersonal skills over work history for entry-level roles. Mention the ability to research, manage deadlines, prepare documents, write reports, and handle files—skills essential for paralegal responsibilities. 

Part-time and flexible jobs in administration and hospitality are helpful industries for those without experience to learn vital skills. Consider looking into the best jobs for students that can help you gain some relevant experience for this role. Volunteering as a local charity cashier or shop assistant can also build attention to detail, time management, and practical customer service skills for client collaboration and legal case handling.

For more ideas, read our career advice for school leavers to assist you in your next career move.

How to write a CV for a paralegal job in 5 steps

1. How to write a personal profile on a paralegal CV

A paralegal CV profile summary is an opening statement to showcase your unique qualities and soft skills, such as communication, negotiation, attention to detail, and organisation. Take the opportunity to highlight your unique strengths, career goals, years of experience (if applicable), and legal specialisms or niches. 

For more tips, refer to over 30+ CV personal profile examples to inspire your paralegal bio.

2. Key paralegal skills to showcase on a CV 

When listing skills on your CV for a paralegal job, refer to critical legal competencies such as case management, legal document drafting, and research skills. Ensure your technical competencies, such as legal research tools (e.g., Westlaw or LexisNexis), IT skills and document preparation, are presented in a separate skills section. 

To gain further insights, explore similar roles with transferable legal skills, such as legal secretary, project manager, or office manager.

5 essential skills for a paralegal job:

1. Legal research: The ability to gather relevant case laws, statutes, and legal precedents, forming the foundation for case preparation.

2. Document drafting: Expertise in preparing various legal documents such as contracts, pleadings, and briefs with precision and compliance with legal standards.

3. Case management: Organising and managing case files, ensuring all necessary documents or reports are maintained accurately and efficiently.

4. Client communication: Effectively liaising with clients, lawyers, and other legal professionals to ensure clear and consistent communication.

5. Regulatory compliance: Knowledge of legal procedures and compliance standards, ensuring that cases and documentation adhere to current laws and regulations.

   

For further insights, refer to our article on how to put skills to put on your CV.

3. How to describe relevant work experience on a paralegal CV 

When including the CV work experience section, providing clear, relevant, and precise examples is crucial. Tailor each entry to highlight your specific contributions and paralegal responsibilities. Whether you’re managing documentation drafting or assisting in legal research, ensure that your examples reflect the skills aligned with your target job.

Consider these CV work history tips:

• Use reverse chronological order: use this traditional chronological CV format, beginning with your most recent role and proceeding backwards.

• Detail responsibilities and achievements: clearly outline your tasks and accomplishments for each position, emphasising quantifiable results. Use dynamic action verbs like 'researched,' 'drafted,' 'analysed,' and 'prepared.'

• Highlight legal skills: emphasise skills and relevant work experience most pertinent to legal contexts, such as legal research, case management, document preparation, and client interaction.

• Quantify legal achievements: utilise numbers and percentages to quantify your successes in legal settings. For instance, state accomplishments like 'contributed to a 20% improvement in case preparation efficiency' or 'successfully managed document review for complex litigation cases.'

• Incorporate legal terminology: use industry-specific language and acronyms relevant to the legal field.

• Use bullet points: choose concise content instead of lengthy paragraphs to enhance readability and ensure your CV is easily digestible.

Paralegal work experience CV examples

Legal Assistant | Law Firm Associates, London, UK | 2019 - Present

Provide comprehensive support to legal professionals in case management, legal research, and document preparation. Facilitate client interactions, maintaining a high level of professionalism and confidentiality. Collaborate with senior attorneys to draft legal documents and correspondence. Conduct legal research and prepare case materials to assist in trial preparations.

• Assisted in successfully resolving complex cases, contributing to a 15% increase in case closure rates.

• Coordinated and managed the firm's legal database, which reduced retrieval time by 20%.

Paralegal | Legal Solutions Ltd, London, UK | 2020 - Present

Conduct thorough legal research, prepare legal documents, and assist in case management activities. Collaborate with solicitors to ensure accurate and timely case reports for court proceedings. Engage in client interactions, addressing inquiries, resolving concerns, and maintaining positive professional relationships. Support attorneys in trial preparations and coordinate administrative tasks within the legal team.

• Drafted and submitted legal documents, resulting in a 10% improvement in case filing efficiency.

• Facilitated the implementation of a new case management system, streamlined workflows and reduced administrative overhead by 15%.

Senior Paralegal | Premier Legal Associates, London, UK | 2012 - 2017

Provided leadership and mentorship to junior paralegals, overseeing their work in case management, legal research, and document preparation. Collaborated with senior attorneys to develop legal strategies and trial preparations. Managed over 2,000 complex cases independently whilst prioritising the compliance of legal protocols and deadlines. Facilitated effective communication between estate agents, solicitors and clients to expedite the exchange of contracts and closure of cases.

• Led a team of 100 paralegals in successfully resolving high-profile cases, contributing to a 20% increase in client satisfaction ratings.

• Implemented process improvements, resulting in a 25% reduction in case turnaround time.

Paralegal CV work experience example with no experience 

Administration Intern | Pioneer Marketing Solutions, London | 2021- 2022

Collaborated with the marketing team during a summer internship, contributing to various projects and campaigns. Assisted in research, analysing trends, and preparing reports. Coordinated with cross-functional teams to ensure the seamless execution of projects in line with milestones and deadlines.

• Supported the marketing team to create content which improved engagement on social media channels and increased company followers by 20%.

If you have little or no work experience, highlight your achievements that align with your career goals. Include duties that are relevant to your job targets. If your previous experience is not industry-related, the example above highlights transferable skills such as research, collaboration, and effective communication, which are valuable assets on a paralegal CV.

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4. How to include education on a paralegal CV 

Including an education CV section provides employers with your academic background and qualifications. Many recruiters seek higher-education candidates with relevant degrees or diplomas in paralegal studies or law. Alternatively, opting for a Paralegal Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship enables you to get into this role without an undergraduate degree. In this section, you can list courses and certificates like the Paralegal Practice Award or training in areas like GDPR compliance.

Include the following information:

• Full name of the degree or qualification

• Name of the educational institution where you studied

• Include the location or an online course

• Graduation year, expected graduation year, or in progress

• Honours, awards, or distinctions received (if applicable).

Here are some more tips to consider:

• Coursework: List relevant coursework or examinations to provide insight into your academic specialisation, such as Legal Research and Writing, Civil Litigation, and Contract Law.

• Projects: If you worked on noteworthy projects, a dissertation, or research papers during your academic studies, mention them briefly. This demonstrates your ability to apply your knowledge in practical scenarios.

• Certificates: Consider completing certificates and additional training programs for your job targets. Include courses or certifications in a separate section or under the education section.

When writing a paralegal CV with no experience, highlight relevant coursework in Civil Litigation or Contract Law to show your specific understanding of key legal concepts. Mention study projects, dissertations, or research papers if they directly relate to your target job. Explore distance learning courses from training providers such as National Paralegal College for more information. 

How to format the education section of your sample paralegal CV

You can follow this structure for your education section:

[Qualification type] in [program name], [institution/school name], [Location], [date range, year of graduation, or in progress].

Here are some qualification specific examples:

• University Degree: LLB (Hons) in Law | University of Birmingham | 2023

• Diploma: Level 3 Paralegal Practice Diploma | The Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEx) | 2022

• Apprenticeship: Level 3 Paralegal Apprenticeship, City Law College, London, 2023

• A-Levels: A-Levels | South London College | 2018 – 2020, English Literature (A), History (A), Government & Politics (B)

• GCSEs: GCSEs | St. Mary's High School | 2016 – 2018, 9 GCSEs including English (A), History (B), Mathematics (B).

Refer to our student CV example for more guidance on listing education. 

5.  Enhance your paralegal CV with additional sections  

Including additional information on your paralegal CV provides employers with a thorough overview of your legal experience and capabilities.  These sections go beyond standard education and work history, enabling you to highlight key paralegal specialisms such as personal research or publications. For freelancers or self-employed paralegals, showcasing a personal client base, professional website or portfolio of legal work will demonstrate your expertise and attract potential employers.

• Memberships: professional memberships with legal organisations like the Institute of Paralegals (IoP) or CILEx (Chartered Institute of Legal Executives) can significantly enhance your paralegal CV. Including memberships demonstrates your dedication to staying up-to-date with legal industry standards and networking within the legal community.

• Languages: if you are multilingual, add a language skills section specifying your proficiency level. This is particularly beneficial for immigration paralegals or those working in international law firms.

• Hobbies and interests: when selecting hobbies and interests, focus on activities that showcase analytical thinking, attention to detail, and intellectual curiosity, such as legal reading, debating, chess, problem-solving puzzles, and writing historical articles.

• Publications: list legal blog posts, academic or research papers and case studies to highlight your writing skills. A publications section can set you apart from other applicants for more corporate or senior in-house paralegal roles.

• References: Use references from past employers or legal professionals to your paralegal UK CV sample to further boost credibility. Providing reliable references gives potential employers confidence in your skills and qualifications, making you a standout candidate.

Key takeaways 

A precise and tailored CV for a paralegal job increases your chances of employers shortlisting you for a job interview and landing your ideal legal role.

1. Create a well-structured and ATS-friendly paralegal CV.

2. Highlight your key paralegal specialisms, skills, and qualifications.

3. Even with no legal experience, investing in training, gaining certifications, and including achievements will help you break into one of the biggest fields in the UK.

Next steps? 

Explore our career blog for more tips on how to write a CV tailored for legal jobs. Use our CV Builder to create a personalised application hassle-free. Get expert help through our CV Writing Services and 150+ CV examples, ideal for entry-level applicants. Alternatively, explore how to improve your CV with these 10 steps and optimise your CV format and cover letter before sending it to potential employers.

FAQ 

What qualifications do you need to be a paralegal in the UK? 

While a law degree is not always mandatory, it can be beneficial and is required for senior roles. Employers also consider a paralegal practice diploma, HNC or foundation degree in law or a related field. Having practical legal experience from apprenticeships and qualifications will enable you to be a paralegal in the UK.

Do you need a law degree to become a paralegal? 

Not necessarily, but a law degree is sometimes a prerequisite to enter this profession. Many successful paralegal CV examples include qualifications in legal studies or related disciplines. However, even without a degree, recruiters seek candidates with relevant work experience, certifications, and a comprehensive understanding of legal processes.

Should I write a cover letter for a paralegal job? 

Yes, a paralegal cover letter for UK jobs is essential for introducing yourself to the organisation and highlighting key technical skills and expertise. It's an opportunity to showcase your communication skills, explain gaps in employment and demonstrate how your background aligns with the paralegal CV job description.

What is the best CV format in the UK for a paralegal CV?

The best format for a paralegal CV in the UK is chronological that lists your paralegal responsibilities and legal qualifications in reverse order. Use an ATS-friendly paralegal CV template to ensure it looks professional and easily scannable by recruiters. Learn the best fonts and colours for a clear and easy-to-read CV.

Are paralegals in demand in the UK?

Due to the growing need for cost-effective legal services in the UK, legal roles such as solicitors and lawyers remain the highest-paying jobs. The legal sector, including paralegal jobs, is also in high demand.

Do paralegals need a licence in the UK?

Paralegals do not need a formal licence to practice because there is no governmental statutory regulation in the UK. However, gaining recognised certifications can significantly improve your employability and demonstrate a commitment to professional development.