Legal Assistant CV—Template & 25+ Writing Tips

You’ve stumbled on the perfect legal assistant CV sample.

But—

They won’t hire the best legal assistant for the job.

They’ll hire whoever has the best CV.

Not a CV writing expert? Don’t worry. We are. And we’ll guide you through the steps to knock those partners on their Gucci mohair trousers.

In this guide:

• A legal assistant CV sample better than most.
• How to write a legal assistant CV that proves your case.
• How to fine-tune your legal assistant job description to the opening.
• Why you can’t just list legal assistant skills (and what to do instead).

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Do you really need a legal assistant CV or something else? See our guides:

• Administrative Assistant CV
• Executive Assistant CV
• Medical Assistant CV
• Paralegal CV
• Law School CV
• Legal CV
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• Office Clerk CV
• Office Assistant CV
• Office Manager CV
• Personal Assistant CV

Haven't found what you're looking for? Check all our CV Examples for Over 200 Jobs.

Legal Assistant CV Sample You Can Copy and Use

Here’s how to write a legal assistant CV that works:

1. Start With the Best Legal Assistant CV Format

Yikes!

The format of your CV is sloppy. Now the partners think you’re lazy. At this moment, they’re picturing you dropping horseradish on a case file.

Let’s file an injunction against that.

To write a professional legal assistant CV—

Use these tips:

Legal Assistant CV Format

• Create a 1-page CV.
• Choose a CV font like 11–14pt Arial or Tahoma.
• Leave white space in between so they don’t give up reading.
• Set 1-inch margins.
• Write CV sections for Heading, Summary, Experience, Education, and Skills.
• Add jobs in reverse-chronological CV layout.
• For easy reading on all platforms, send a PDF CV.

Expert Hint: Glassdoor data shows legal assistants make from £42,000 to £79,000 per year. That’s a massive spread. To find your way to the upper end of the range, target your CV for legal assistant jobs like Jack McCoy. I’ll show how next.

2. Make a Legal Assistant CV Objective or Summary

Warning:

Most hiring managers and partners spend 6 seconds reading each CV.

But what if you could make them spend ten times that on yours?

You can.

You just need a powerful career objective statement or career summary statement.

Include:

1. An adjective (efficient, enthusiastic)
2. “Legal assistant ” (or title from the job ad)
3. Years of experience (1+, 8+)
4. How & who you’ll help (provide fast, excellent support at Dobbins & Eisengart)
5. Best CV accomplishments(Wrote 150+ legal documents...)

See these legal assistant CV examples:

Legal Assistant CV Summary—Example

Efficient legal assistant with 3+ years of experience saving time for partners. Seeking to provide fast, excellent support at Dobbins & Eisengart. Wrote 150+ legal documents at Walsh, Harrison & Montana with no errors. Saved 5+ hours a week with new file system.

Experienced legal assistant, skilled in writing legal documents. An expert at filing and document storage. Excels in saving time for partners and associates. A great communicator and researcher with strong writing skills.

Verdict?

The second of those legal assistant CV samples promises writing and filing. But—

The first adds 150+ documents and 5+ hours saved per week.

Saying you’re skilled is nice. Giving proof is hirable.

“But I’m just getting started in the legal assistant field!”

You can still have a great CV. See these entry-level CV samples for legal assistant jobs:

Entry-Level Legal Assistant CV Objective

Enthusiastic entry-level legal assistant skilled in clerical tasks. Seeking to provide efficiency at Dobbins & Eisengart. As front desk clerk at Walsh, Harrison & Montana, scheduled 1,500+ appointments, answered 20+ phone calls per day and proofread 30+ legal documents per week.

Entry-level legal assistant, very skilled in scheduling appointments and answering phone calls. Have not yet worked as a legal assistant, but am good at research and proofreading. Can start soon and will work hard.

Brief recess.

The second of those entry-level legal assistant CV examples with no experience makes empty promises.

Wouldn’t you rather hire the first? You can believe she’ll do the job.

But here’s the kicker—

It’s the same applicant. She just used more details in exhibit A.

3. Target Your Legal Assistant Job Description and Skills Section to the Job

What legal assistant skills do you need in a CV?

See this CV skills list:

Legal Assistant CV Skills

Hard Skills	Soft Skills
Legal Research	Interpersonal Skills
Writing	Collaboration
Billing	Communication
Scheduling	Time Management
Docketing	Efficiency
Transcription	Problem Solving
Pleadings	Perception
Family Law	Attention to Detail
Contracts	Accountability
Filing	Analytical Skills

But—

Don’t pin them all on a CV for legal assistant jobs. That’s shifty.

Instead, write the job description and tailor your CV with CV keywords from the online job posting.

These legal assistant CV samples show how:

Say the job ad wants skills in answering calls, maintaining office records, billing, and proofreading.

Legal Assistant Job Description for a CV [Sample]

Experience

Legal Assistant

Walsh, Harrison & Montana, London

2016–2019

• Answered 50+ calls per week on attorney direct lines. Answered customer inquiries and solved minor problems, saving attorney time.
• Maintained office records. Implemented new storage system that saved 5+ clerical hours per week for the firm.
• Prepared billing statements for attorneys, ensuring 7% more billable hours than predecessor. Facilitated a 10% revenue increase.

• Wrote and proofread 150+ legal documents with zero errors.

• Solved minor customer problems and complaints, escalating larger issues to partners and associates.
• Managed client documents and account information.
• Performed daily legal research for partners.
• Assisted with trademark searches and title searches.

I rest my case.

The first of those legal assistant CV examples has evidence of billing, proofreading, and other desired skills. It’s also got 5+, 10%, and 150+ for scale.

But—

What if your legal assistant experience is preliminary?

A CV with no experience can use law office achievements from other jobs.

See these junior legal assistant CV examples with no experience:

This job wants answering phones, scheduling, and research.

Entry-Level Legal Assistant CV Job Description [Sample]

• Greeted walk-in clients as they entered the premises.
• Proofread documents per week with high accuracy levels.
• Commended by supervisor for communication skills.
• Facilitated regular client meetings and appointments.

Always add numbers when you can to measure your success.

The second of those entry-level legal assistant CV samples misses out on numbers and CV keywords.

Expert Hint: NALP research shows most legal assistants and paralegals work in litigation or family law practises. If you’ve got experience in those areas, show it on your CV for legal assistant jobs. That’s especially powerful if you’re applying to a litigation or family law firm!

The ResumeLab builder is more than looks. Get specific content to boost your chances of getting the job. Add job descriptions, bullet points, and skills. Easy. Improve your CV in our CV builder now.

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Nail it all with a splash of colour, choose a clean font, highlight your skills in just a few clicks. You’re the perfect candidate and we’ll prove it. Use the ResumeLab builder now.

4. Write a Skills-Packed Education Section

Can your CV education section get you hired?

Yes! But not the way you think.

You don’t need a Harvard Law School degree to be a great legal assistant.

You just need to show you built law skills in school.

Follow this legal assistant CV sample:

Legal Assistant CV Example—Education

5. Add “Special” Sections to Your Legal Assistant CV

Question:

Who will the partners hire?

A legal assistant who punched a clock? Or someone passionate?

If you show legal achievements outside work, they’ll know you love your career.

You can add:

• Certifications 
• Volunteering
• Freelancing
• Professional associations (NALP, NALS)
• Employee awards
• Publications
• Foreign languages
• Additional activities
• Conferences
• Athletics

See these legal assistant CV examples:

Legal Assistant CV—Other Sections

Certifications

2019 — Certified Paralegal, NALP

2018 — Certified Notary

Additional Activities

• Active member, NALP.
• Mentor 4 other paralegal assistants in best practises.
• Walk shelter dogs 2x per month at Hubbard County Animal Shelter.

The facts?

Only the first of those legal assistant CV samples makes you more hirable. 

Expert Hint: Craft a cover letter for your CV for legal assistant jobs. Focus on the firm’s needs so they know you understand them. Then show you’ve handled similar legal assistant duties before.

Double your impact with a matching CV and cover letter combo. Use our cover letter builder and make your application documents pop out.

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Want to try a different look? There’s 18 more. A single click will give your document a total makeover. Pick a cover letter template here.

Key Points

Here’s how to write a legal assistant CV:

• Start with a professional legal assistant CV template. Fill it with your best legal assistant high points.
• Include legal assistant skills like research and writing. Use numbers to show the impact of your skills.
• Write a legal assistant CV objective that gives your best attributes in brief.
• Add “special” CV sections like a NALS membership or CP certification as proof you live and breathe your legal work.
• Write a legal assistant cover letter. 

Got questions on how to write good CVs for legal assistant jobs? Not sure how to put legal assistant on a CV? Leave a comment. We’ll be happy to reply! 

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