Paralegals are often the backbone of successful law firms. Attorneys rely on their paralegal team to do a lot of the heavy lifting daily. But to succeed, you need to bring specific skills to the table. Law firms are looking for litigation skills. How do you showcase that on your resume when looking for your next job? Here are a few tips.
How to Show Litigation Experience
With any experience, you want to be specific and provide as much data as possible. You want to convince an employer that your experience will benefit them. So you can include the number of litigation partners and associates you supported and in what practice area. Share how you documented litigation expenses and billable time records. Show how you managed a calendar for attorneys and handled the prep for court hearings.
How to Reference Law Firms
With most formal resumes, you will list the law firm’s name as the employer and your years of experience with them. This will be especially helpful for local hiring managers to see what firms you’ve worked with. If you work on a contract basis, use the agency’s name in the header but list the projects you did and the law firm names in the bullets.
How to Focus on Trial Preparation
Since a lot of litigation is about trial preparation, you’ll want to include your specific involvement within your resume. Showcase how you supported the litigation team, assisted and supported attorneys in their practice area, working on correspondence and pleadings, and prepared motions. You should also mention the administrative support to the attorneys that kept the entire operation running smoothly.
How to Showcase Legal Research
Legal research is a significant part of any law firm. Today, most legal research is completed digitally, so list the specific resources you’ve used in past positions. You should also include information about the discovery and investigations you assisted within your role. You will also want to mention how you handled discovery responses as a part of your process.
Can We Help You Find an Excellent Litigation Paralegal Job?
Contact NRI Legal Staffing to discuss your skills and experience with one of our recruiters. We have connections to top legal firms across the DC metro area.
