Skills
Paralegal Skills & Tools
The technical skills, people skills and tools employers look for in paralegals, and how to build and show them.
What skills do paralegals need?
Paralegals need technical skills such as legal research, legal writing and drafting, and discovery management, plus people skills like attention to detail and organization. They also use tools such as Westlaw or Lexis and Case management software such as Clio.
Technical (hard) skills
- Legal research
- Legal writing and drafting
- Discovery management
- Docketing and calendaring
- Court e-filing
- Legal software
People (soft) skills
- Attention to detail
- Organization
- Discretion
- Clear writing
Tools, equipment and technology
- Westlaw or Lexis
- Case management software such as Clio
- E-discovery platforms such as Relativity
- Microsoft Word and Adobe Acrobat
- Court e-filing systems (PACER/CM-ECF)
- Docketing software
Skills in action: common tasks
These step-by-step guides show how paralegals put their skills to work:
How to show these skills on a resume
- Lead your skills section with the technical skills from the job posting, for example, “Legal research” and “Legal writing and drafting.”
- Prove soft skills with results: instead of listing “attention to detail,” describe a situation where you used it.
- List credentials such as Certified Paralegal (NALA CP) near the top, with the issuing organization and date.
- Use the employer’s vocabulary. Our paralegal glossary covers the terms hiring managers expect.
How to build these skills
Formal training, supervised practice and certification are the most direct routes. Our Paralegal training introduces each of these skills with plain-language lessons, procedures and a final knowledge check: a strong foundation before hands-on training or your first day.