Get your paralegal resume past ATS screening. Paste any job description below, get your keyword match score, and generate a tailored CV in 60 seconds.
These keywords appear most frequently in paralegal job descriptions. Missing even a few can drop your ATS score below the screening threshold.
Hard and soft skills that paralegal ATS systems look for
Common mistakes that cause paralegal resumes to fail ATS screening
Name specific legal research databases you've used: 'Westlaw', 'LexisNexis', 'Bloomberg Law', and 'PACER' - they are direct ATS filter keywords at most law firms
List the practice area prominently: 'litigation paralegal', 'corporate paralegal', 'real estate paralegal', 'IP paralegal' - ATS sorts candidates by practice specialization
Name the case management system: 'Clio', 'ProLaw', 'iManage', 'NetDocuments' - not generic 'document management system'
Include eDiscovery tools if you have them: 'Relativity', 'Concordance' - these are mandatory filters for litigation paralegal roles at large firms
Quantify matter volume or document scale: 'managed dockets of 80+ active litigation matters', 'reviewed 50,000 documents in Relativity for $30M commercial dispute'
Add 'NALA Certified Paralegal (CP)' or 'NFPA Registered Paralegal (RP)' near your name if you hold the designation - it's a primary filter for senior paralegal roles
Essential paralegal ATS keywords include: Westlaw, LexisNexis, PACER, the specific case management software (Clio, iManage, ProLaw), your practice area specialty (litigation, corporate, real estate, IP), eDiscovery tools (Relativity), legal research, document drafting, docket management, and trial preparation. Pair these with quantified examples of matter volume and document scale.
Most law firms and in-house legal departments require either an ABA-approved paralegal certificate, a bachelor's degree with relevant legal experience, or a NALA/NFPA certification. Large firms often filter on ABA-approved education. NALA's CP designation strengthens applications significantly. For document review roles, eDiscovery tool certifications (Relativity) matter more than formal paralegal education.
Paralegal resumes emphasize substantive legal work: legal research (Westlaw, LexisNexis), document drafting, trial preparation, discovery, and case management. Legal secretary resumes focus on administrative support: scheduling, correspondence, word processing, and reception. Paralegals should never downplay their substantive role - ATS filters at law firms look for research and drafting skills, not administrative ones.
Combine legal action verbs + specific platform/tool + measurable outcome: 'Conducted Westlaw research on 15+ contract disputes, synthesizing case law into attorney memos that resolved 3 pre-trial motions', 'Managed Relativity database of 75,000 documents in $18M product liability case, reducing review time by 30%'. Specificity - tool name + matter type + scale - is what ATS and partners both want to see.
Senior paralegal roles filter on: years of experience (typically 5+), specialty certification (CP, ACP, RP), subject matter expertise in a single practice area, experience supervising junior paralegals or legal assistants, project management of complex multi-matter engagements, and familiarity with advanced eDiscovery platforms. Legal analyst roles may additionally require data skills (Excel, PowerBI) for contract analytics or legal operations work.
Guides to help you pass ATS screening faster