Legal administrator CV: example and how to write one

Updated 30 November 2022

Legal administrators are important members of a lawyer's office. They provide support to lawyers and other law professionals by performing administrative tasks and drafting legal documents. Learning how to write a legal administrator CV can increase your chances of getting a job in the industry. In this article, we explain what a legal administrator is, discuss how to write a CV for the position and provide a CV template and sample you can use to prepare your own.

What is a legal administrator?

A legal administrator is a professional who assists in a lawyer's office by performing administrative tasks, such as preparing legal documents, communicating with clients, scheduling appointments and conducting legal research. They work in law firms or in companies' legal departments. Legal administrators require a diverse skill set to perform their duties satisfactorily. For instance, these professionals use their financial knowledge to prepare office budgets and manage office finances. Their interpersonal skills help them recruit law firm staff, mediate conflicts in the office and pair lawyers with paralegals to maximise their productivity.

How to write a legal administrator CV

The following are steps you can follow when drafting a legal administrator CV:

1. Study the job posting

Hiring managers are often thorough when describing job requirements to encourage qualified candidates to apply. Start by carefully reviewing the job description to understand what the position requires. Note the specific skills, education and experience in the job posting, and compare them with your qualifications.

Legal administrator positions may require unique skills and experience depending on the type of law the firm practises. For instance, a legal administrator position in a criminal defence law firm may require experience with criminal law. Another position in a family law firm may require experience with family law cases, such as those concerning divorce and child custody.

2. Provide your contact information

The first part of your CV contains your contact information. Include your phone number and email address so your potential employer can reach you if you proceed to the next hiring stage. You can create a header where your full name is in a larger font than the rest of the document to improve its visibility and make it easier for the hiring manager to remember you. You can also add a link to a professional website, if you have one, and your residential address.

3. Include a professional summary

A professional summary is a two-to-three sentence section that introduces your skills and experience in your CV. Hiring managers often have several CVs to review for open positions and may read the professional summary to determine whether the candidate qualifies. Use this section to highlight your most relevant skills and experience to enhance your opportunities to get an interview. To write an effective professional summary, you can include the following:

Work ethic: Use strong adjectives and descriptive phrases to describe your best professional attributes. You can emphasise your attention to detail, adaptability or self-drive for a legal administrator position.
Experience: Include your relevant work history, paying attention to any specialised experience potential employers mention in the job posting. You can also add how long you have worked in the field.
Skills: State your most relevant skills and how you applied them in previous roles.
Career goals: You can include what motivated you to apply for the position. Try to match your goals to those of the potential employer's to improve the likelihood of proceeding to the next stage.

4. Outline your skills

In this section, list six to ten skills that make you suitable for the position. You can divide your list into hard and soft skills. Hard skills relate to your specific duties as a legal administrator and your expertise in performing them. Soft skills describe how you relate to others and your work style. For example, a legal administrator's hard skills could be legal writing and litigation, and their soft skills might be communication and multitasking.

When listing your skills, start with the most relevant to the position. This arrangement shows the hiring manager you read the job posting and are suitable for consideration. Add any specialised skills you possess to make your CV unique, increasing the probability of obtaining an interview.

5. Detail your work experience

Potential employers may focus on this part of your CV because it shows them your responsibilities in previous roles. If your previous duties differ from those in the job posting, try to frame them in a way that makes them similar to the job description.

Include at least two previous roles in this section. Specify where you worked, your employment dates and your duties. Start with your most recent position and proceed in reverse chronological order. Your most recent role is likely the most advanced, so this strategy helps you highlight your latest professional achievements. Try to use quantifiable quotes to illustrate your value as a legal administrator.

6. Mention your educational background

Begin with your highest level of education. State the name of the institution, the dates you attended and the name of your course. If you pursued tertiary education, you could exclude your secondary school information. If your highest level of education is secondary school, you can include academic achievements, such as graduating with honours.

7. Add certifications

Including certifications in your CV showcases your professional expertise and may impress your potential employer. If you have multiple certifications, arrange them in reverse chronological order, starting with the most recent. Mention the certification, the organisation that awarded it to you and the year you completed it. For a legal administrator position, you can add certifications such as Certified Legal Administrator and Certified Legal Secretary that the Association of Certified Legal Secretaries offers.

8. Include your portfolio

An organised portfolio shows your multifaceted professional skills. It draws attention to your recommendations and distinguishes your application from those of other applicants. Update your portfolio to include your most recent accomplishments as you gain more professional experience. Although it's optional, including your portfolio on your CV can improve your chances of getting an interview.

9. Proofread and edit

Check for errors in punctuation, formatting and grammar. You can use online proofreading apps that identify mistakes and suggest corrections. You can also ask a friend to read through your CV and offer helpful advice. A well-written CV free of mistakes can showcase your writing skills and attention to detail, which are valuable legal administrator skills.

Legal administrator CV template

The following is a template you can use to draft a CV for a legal administrator position:

[First name] [Last name]
[Phone number] | [Professional email address] | [Location]

Professional Summary
[Two to three sentences that highlight your years of experience, relevant skills, education or certifications and achievements as a professional.]

Experience
[Job Title] | [Employment dates]
[Company Name] | [Location]

(Strong verb) + what you did (more detail) + reason, outcome or quantified results.
[Job duty]
[Job duty]
[Job duty]
[Job duty]

[Job Title] | [Employment dates]
[Company Name] | [Location]

(Strong verb) + what you did (more detail) + reason, outcome or quantified results.
[Job duty]
[Job duty]

Education
[Degree and subject], [Name of school or university]

Certifications
[Certification name], [Host organisation] - [Year completed or expiration date]

Sample CV for a legal administrator position

You can refer to the following example CV when preparing yours for a job as a legal administrator:

Jenna Johnson
+44 20 7672 7381 | jenna.johnson@email.com | London

Professional summary
Detail-oriented and reliable legal administrator with six years of experience. Practical experience with legal research, legal writing, administrative tasks and team management in criminal and civil law.

Experience
Legal Administrator | June 2019–Current
Davies and Brown Solicitors | London

support paralegals and lawyers by preparing financial documents and conducting legal research
prepare and maintain the team's budget to account for all expenses and meet financial objectives
manage legal invoicing and file maintenance
recruit and orientate new legal staff
perform IT functions connected to record management

Legal Secretary | February 2016–May 2019
Shelby Inc. | Birmingham

drafted legal documents that aided in case procedures
liaised with the HR department to manage employee benefit plans
managed the team's expenditure and paid all fees before their deadlines

Education
Diploma in Legal Administration, Camp David University

Certification
Certified Legal Administrator, Association of Certified Legal Secretaries - 2020

Please note that none of the companies, institutions or organisations mentioned in this article are affiliated with Indeed.