Family Law Paralegal Resume Example & Writing Guide
Use this Family Law Paralegal resume example and guide to improve your career and write a powerful resume that will separate you from the competition.
If you’re an organized, detail-oriented person who thrives in a fast-paced environment, you might be a great fit for the world of family law. Family law paralegals help attorneys with everything from drafting documents to conducting research to managing client files. They’re also often involved in preparing court documents—everything from subpoenas to motions to complaints.
Because the family law field is so broad, there are tons of different types of jobs out there. Some family law paralegals focus on divorce or child custody cases, while others specialize in helping families create estate plans or draft contracts for the sale of property.
To land your dream family law paralegal job, you need a resume that showcases your relevant experience and skills. Here are some tips and an example to help you write yours.
How to Write a Family Law Paralegal Resume
Here’s how to write a family law paralegal resume of your own.
Write Compelling Bullet Points
Bullet points are the most effective way to showcase your experience and qualifications. But rather than simply listing your responsibilities, you can make your bullet points much more interesting and compelling by using specific numbers and statistics.
For example, rather than saying you “provided legal support for attorneys,” you could say that you “provided legal support for attorneys by reviewing and analyzing over 100 legal documents per day and providing timely feedback and recommendations for improvement.”
The second bullet point is much more specific and provides a clear sense of the scale and scope of the work you did. It also provides a quantifiable number—100+ documents—which helps to further demonstrate your level of involvement and responsibility.
Identify and Include Relevant Keywords
When you submit your resume online, it’s likely that it will be scanned by an applicant tracking system (ATS) for certain keywords related to the position you’re applying for. If your resume doesn’t include enough of the right keywords, your application might not make it past the initial screening process.
One way to make sure your resume makes it past the ATS is to include relevant keywords throughout all sections of your document. You can find a list of common family law paralegal keywords below, but remember to use them wisely. You don’t want to stuff your resume with keywords or repeat them too often.
- Legal Advice
- Legal Research
- Litigation
- Legal Writing
- Family Law
- Civil Litigation
- Paralegals
- Legal Document Preparation
- Commercial Litigation
- Mediation
- Legal Paralegal Services
- Divorce Law
- Law
- Trial Practice
- Corporate Law
- Appeals
- Document Drafting
- Legal Consulting
- Document Review
- Westlaw
- Research
- Personal Injury Law
- Legal Issues
- LexisNexis
- Document Preparation
- Family Law Issues
- Document Review
- Family Law
- Alternative Dispute Resolution
- Legal Services
Showcase Your Technical Skills
As a family law paralegal, you will need to be proficient in the use of technology in order to effectively do your job. This includes being familiar with legal research databases, case management software, and e-filing systems. You should also have experience with specific programs like Microsoft Office Suite and Westlaw. Being able to list your level of expertise in each area will show that you’re a valuable asset to any law firm.