Here are the keywords and skills that appear most frequently on recent Legal job postings. In other words, these are the most sought after skills by recruiters and hiring managers. So try to include them on your resume where possible. Go to the Sample Templates ↓ below to see how to include them on your resume.
Remember that every job is different. Instead of including all these keywords on your resume, identify the keywords most relevant to the job you're applying to and include those. Use the free Targeted Resume tool to help with this.
Does your resume contain all the right skills? Paste in your resume in the AI Resume Scan ↓ section below and get an instant score.
Paste your resume below and our AI will identify which keywords are missing from your resume from the list above (and what you need to include). Including the right keywords will help you get past Applicant Tracking Systems (i.e. resume screeners) which may scan your resume for keywords to see if you're a match for the job.
Here are examples of proven resumes in related jobs and industries, approved by experienced hiring managers. Use them as inspiration when you're writing your own resume. You can even download and edit the resume template in Google Docs.
You can apply for entry level legal assistant positions even without any legal qualifications or office administration experience, or transition to the field from other administrative roles. Employers will be looking for evidence of transferable skills as well as technical skills like data entry software and Microsoft Access. If you have experience as an intern or volunteer in a legal or related field, that can also strengthen your candidacy.
Tailoring your resume to a specific position is easier than you think, even if you’re applying for an entry level position. Including the title of the job you’re applying for at the top of your resume is the quickest way to do this and is a great way of getting past Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS).
Avoid falling into the trap of listing job duties instead of accomplishments by starting each bullet point with a strong action verb. This keeps the focus on what you actually did and makes it easier for hiring managers to understand your skills and experience. Emphasize your transferable skills by talking about times you’ve organized records, analyzed data, or conducted research.
An experienced legal assistant supports attorneys in a variety of ways. Tasks you can expect include doing research, preparing legal documents, scheduling meetings, organizing documents, etc. To qualify for this job you need to have a degree in law or paralegal studies or a paralegal certificate. This position is for an experienced legal assistant so you will be expected to have years of experience as a legal assistant. It would also benefit you to have experience as an administrator, especially in a law firm. Take a look at this recruiter-approved resume sample.
This position will have you doing a variety of roles as you support attorneys, so show a variety of skills in the skill section. Some basic skills you can include are legal research, scheduling, docketing, etc. Take a look at our list of recommended skills in this guide for more options.
Action verbs are powerful tools that you can use to shape your experience section. For this position, you can use them to indicate that you have experience performing a variety of tasks expected for this position. Useful action verbs can include ‘filed’, ‘assisted’, and ‘organized’. Take a look at the action-verb section of this guide for more action-verb options.
As an entry-level legal assistant, you'll be responsible for supporting attorneys and paralegals with tasks such as organizing documents, conducting research, and drafting legal documents. The legal field is constantly evolving, and employers are looking for candidates who can quickly adapt to new technologies and stay updated on current regulations. A strong resume is crucial to showcase your skills and demonstrate your commitment to this fast-paced industry. In the legal field, attention to detail and strong communication skills are highly valued. Companies will be looking for candidates who can efficiently manage their workload, meet deadlines, and maintain a high level of professionalism. Crafting a tailored resume for this specific industry is essential to demonstrate your understanding of these expectations.
Even if you don't have direct work experience as a legal assistant, you can still emphasize relevant coursework or internships that have prepared you for this role. Detail specific courses or projects that demonstrate your knowledge of legal concepts, research, and document preparation.
As a legal assistant, you'll often be tasked with managing large volumes of documents and data. Showcase your proficiency in digital tools such as document management software and Microsoft Office suite, as well as your ability to maintain organized files and records.
This resume template is suitable for experienced hires or mid-level hires. The education contains two examples of an education experiences, but only include one (your most recent one) if you're a senior level employee.
It strikes the right balance between white space and content, and doesn't waste space on unnecessary images and icons. Remember, recruiters aren't looking at how creative you are when it comes to your template. Your content is core and should be the focus.
This job seeker uses resume bullet points that uses strong action verbs, and most importantly, contain numbers that demonstrate the significance of their accomplishments.
This template is clean, readable by resume screeners, and is effective at calling out key accomplishments and projects from specific work experiences. This would be useful if you have been at a company for a while, or been in a consulting-type of role, and want to point hiring managers to your most impressive accomplishments.
Action verbs are important on your resume are vital. They evoke strong imagery to your reader, and this resume does an excellent job by using words such as “spearheaded,” “managed,” and “drove.” These words will help you to put your achievements in perspective, in conjunction with measurable results. Use action verbs relating to the skills you want to highlight.
Many of your accomplishments will involve your responsibilities in your employer's high-level projects. Recruiters want to see what you’ve completed in previous roles -- such as the Operations Improvement Project and new iPhone app launch highlighted in this resume. The numbers make your experience real, rather than a vague “oversaw several teams for a project.” What did you do specifically? Be specific.
This two column resume template has been designed and created in Google Docs, and puts an emphasis on a skills section. You can download it in Word, or edit it directly in Google Docs.
The two-column in this Google Docs resume template prioritizes the work experience sections, while maximizing the content into the resume. Not all two column templates are ATS-compatible, but this one is when it is saved as PDF and passed through a resume screener.
Skills sections are a great way to include specific keywords and skills that you have, that haven't been included in other parts of your resume. This helps you get past resume screeners that scan your resume for specific keywords.
The following word cloud highlights the most popular keywords that appear on Legal job descriptions. The bigger the word, the more frequently it shows up on employer's job postings. If you have experience with these keywords, include them on your resume.
Here are some of the most popular skills we see on Legal resumes:
Popular skills we often see on resumes for Patent Attorney positions include:
In comparison, skills we see on Tax Lawyer resumes include:
Depending on the specific role you apply to, you may need to emphasize different skill sets. Here are a few examples:
While the keywords above are a good indication of what skills you need on your resume, you should try to find additional keywords that are specific to the job. To do this, use the free Targeted Resume tool. It analyzes the job you are applying to and finds the most important keywords you need on your resume.
It is personalized to your resume, and is the best way to ensure your resume will pass the automated resume filters.
Thank you for the checklist! I realized I was making so many mistakes on my resume that I've now fixed. I'm much more confident in my resume now.
