Estate Planning Paralegal Resume Example & Writing Guide
Use this Estate Planning Paralegal resume example and guide to improve your career and write a powerful resume that will separate you from the competition.
Estate planning is an area of law that deals with the creation of a will or trust, as well as the oversight of an estate throughout its duration. An estate planning paralegal is an integral part of the team that provides legal guidance to clients as they prepare their estate plans. They help clients identify and value their assets, draft their wills, create trusts, and decide who will be appointed as executors and trustees.
If you’re interested in working in estate planning but aren’t sure how to break into the field, here are some tips and an example resume to help you write a stellar estate planning paralegal resume.
How to Write an Estate Planning Paralegal Resume
Here’s how to write an resume of your own.
Write Compelling Bullet Points
Bullet points are the most effective way to showcase your experience and qualifications. And when it comes to legal bullet points, it’s especially important to use specific examples and numbers.
For example, rather than saying you “provided legal support for estate planning department,” you could say you “provided legal support for estate planning department by drafting wills for 15 clients and reviewing estate planning documents for 20 clients.”
The second bullet point is much more specific and provides a clear sense of the scope of your work. And that will make it much easier for hiring managers to understand how your experience aligns with the job requirements.
Identify and Include Relevant Keywords
When you submit your resume for an estate planning paralegal role, it’s likely that it will go through an applicant tracking system (ATS). This system will scan your resume for specific keywords related to the position, like “estate planning” or “probate law.” If your resume doesn’t include enough of the right terms, the ATS might automatically reject your application.
To increase your chances of getting an interview, use this list of common estate planning keywords as a starting point to help you optimize your resume:
- Estate Planning
- Wills
- Elder Law
- Probate
- Real Estate Transactions
- Legal Research
- Legal Writing
- Litigation
- Family Law
- Civil Litigation
- Property Law
- Title Insurance
- Paralegals
- Corporate Law
- Legal Advice
- LexisNexis
- Document Drafting
- Corporate Governance
- Real Estate
- Intellectual Property
- Microsoft Access
- Document Review
- Litigation Support
- Westlaw
- Mediation
- Law
- Trial Practice
- Trials
- Pleadings
- Depositions
Showcase Your Technical Skills
As an estate planning paralegal, you need to be proficient in a variety of software programs and systems in order to effectively do your job. This might include familiarity with legal research databases, case management software, or estate planning software. Additionally, many estate planning firms now use social media platforms to market their services, and paralegals who are familiar with these platforms will be better equipped to take advantage of this growing trend.