Paralegal Cover Letter Example

Legal professionals depend on the support of talented paralegals to lighten their workload. To show them you’re the right person to assist with cases, showcase your paralegal skills in a stellar cover letter.

Use these three tips to write a paralegal cover letter that gets the hiring manager excited to learn more about you in person:

Highlight your paralegal skills

As a paralegal, your cover letter should highlight the technical skills relevant to your career, such as your legal knowledge and computer literacy.  Additionally, certain key soft skills are needed to support daily operations, such as organizational skills and time management skills.

However, your day-to-day tasks as a paralegal can vary depending on the type of firm you work for and their field of law. To show the hiring manager you’re a strong candidate, you need to emphasize the skills and experience you have that are relevant to the needs of the firm.

For example, if you’re applying to be a real estate paralegal, talk about your experience negotiating lease agreements and preparing legal documents for real estate and commercial transactions.

Additionally, here are important paralegal hard skills to highlight in your cover letter:

• Legal terminology
• Administrative procedures
• Knowledge of court procedures and legal codes
• Data entry
• Accounting software (Intuit QuickBooks)
• Microsoft Access
• Project management software (Microsoft SharePoint and Microsoft Project)
• Microsoft Office (Outlook, PowerPoint, Excel, and Word)
• Information retrieval software (LexisNexis, LawManager, and FindForms)

In addition to your hard skills, here are some paralegal soft skills employers seek:

• Attention to detail
• Multitasking
• Prioritization
• Problem-solving skills
• Critical thinking
• Interpersonal skills
• People skills
• Negotiation
• Initiative
• Accuracy
• Teamwork

Use proper cover letter format

As a paralegal, you can expect employers to pay close attention to your professionalism and attention to detail throughout the hiring process. This also applies to your cover letter.

To give the hiring manager a great first impression, present your qualifications effectively and clearly by using traditional cover letter format.

Here’s how to properly format your paralegal cover letter:

• Choose a professional cover letter font that’s easy to read
• Set your font size at 10.5–12 points
• Adjust your cover letter margins to 1”–1.5”
• If you’re applying online, submit your cover letter in PDF or DOCX format

Additionally, keep your cover letter at the ideal cover letter length, which is between 250 to 400 words.

End with a convincing closing statement

Jobs in the legal field are highly competitive. Knowing how to end your cover letter memorably can turn a good paralegal cover letter into a great one. This makes all the difference when a hiring manager is deciding between two candidates with similar qualifications.

To convince them there’s no better person for the job, restate your interest in the position, then list your key qualifications while emphasizing the value you can add to their firm.

Here’s how to write a strong paralegal closing statement:

• Convey enthusiasm for the job opportunity. Working as a paralegal often comes with long hours and routine work. Because legal professionals rely on your expertise to facilitate their work, you need to show them you have the passion to meet the demands of a busy legal office.
• Highlight your strengths as a paralegal, while focusing on how your skills and experience will directly benefit their organization
• Include a call to action that encourages an in-person meeting to discuss your qualifications further
• Thank the hiring manager for their time and consideration