How to Write a Paralegal Cover Letter (With Example)

When applying for a new job, there's another important document you should send alongside your CV - a cover letter. A well-written paralegal cover letter can complement your CV and provide the recruiter with better insight into your personality and suitability for the role. A succinct and interesting summary of what makes you the best candidate for the position can increase your chances of being invited to an interview. In this article, we provide a helpful guide, relevant skills and examples to help you craft your own persuasive cover letter.

Related: How to Structure a Cover Letter (With Example)

How to write a paralegal cover letter

Your cover letter needs to demonstrate what sets you apart from other applicants. You can discuss the necessary skills and experience you have that will enable you to add value to the company and allow you to excel in your new position. It can be tempting to rehash your CV in your cover letter but it is more effective to write three to four paragraphs tailored to each job application. To help we have provided a structured guide showing you how to write a compelling and concise cover letter:

1. Use a powerful opening statement

Your opening paragraph acts as your first introduction to the recruiter so you must give a good first impression and attract their attention from the outset. Enthusiastically explain why you are excited to be applying for a paralegal role within their firm and include skills highlighted within the job description when describing what makes you a great candidate. If you have a mutual connection to the company through a friend or former colleague referral mention this from the outset to engage the reader into finding out why they think you are suitable for the position.

2. Explain why you are suitable for the role

After your introduction, it's time to showcase the necessary qualifications and skills you have that set you apart from other candidates. Avoid using generic references to the required skills and instead, link them to the previous experience you have that has made you ready to take on this new role. You can share one or two anecdotes from your previous role where you have made use of these skills in a way that has benefited the company. This is your opportunity to provide more detail about the sought after qualities you possess than what's listed in your CV.

Related: 10 Best Skills To Include on a CV

3. Share your proudest accomplishments

The recruiter is looking for ways that you can add value to the company, you can demonstrate this by providing three or four of your proudest accomplishments. Ensure that your achievements are relevant to the job description and depict the knowledge and expertise that you can bring to the role. To help you remain concise and make your cover letter look more dynamic you can make use of bullet points when listing your accomplishments. To further impress the reader use numbers and statistics to quantify your results.

Example: 'I implemented the use of a new legal database within the firm that reduced the time taken to draft contracts by 30%'

4. End with a call to action

When closing your cover letter you want to project both enthusiasm and confidence, use a call to action to encourage the recruiter to take your application to the next stage. Express that you are keen to learn more about the role and advise of your availability for an interview. Finish by politely thanking the reader for their time and consideration.

Example: 'I am excited to learn more about the role and am available at your convenience to discuss my application in more detail. I look forward to visiting your firm in due course, thank you for your time and consideration.'

5. Be sure to proofread

As a paralegal, attention to detail is a necessary skill so be sure to take the time to proofread your cover letter. Rephrase any sentences that are too wordy for the reader and make sure your letter fits neatly onto one page. You want to only include essential information that further benefits your application, remove anything that is irrelevant or does not add value to keep your cover letter appealing to the recruiter.

Related: How Long Should a Cover Letter Be?

Skills to include in a paralegal cover letter

Each recruiter will be looking for specific skills according to the paralegal position they are advertising for. Here is a list of common desirable skills that you can include in your cover letter:

Good communication

Clear and effective communication is a vital skill for any paralegal as a large proportion of your day is spent communicating with others. Demonstrate that you can capably liaise between lawyers, clients and other parties involved in your case and that you understand the importance of clarity when handling legal matters. Active listening is also necessary alongside good written and verbal communication, recruiters want to know you are proficient when interviewing, taking witness statements or discussing and planning your case with your supervising attorney.

Excellent organisation

As a paralegal, you are often responsible for juggling multiple tasks and administrative duties for a variety of cases at once. As such you want to evidence your ability to effectively manage your time and prioritise tasks to ensure deadlines are met and to a high-quality standard. To really impress the recruiter, share with them a story in which you introduced a new technique or tool that improved the organisational efficiency of the entire firm, where possible provide concrete results using numbers and statistics to support your accomplishment.

Great teamwork

When working on a case you will often have to collaborate with other members of the legal team, such as lawyers, legal secretaries and other co-workers. To provide a first-rate legal service it is imperative that all members of the team can work together harmoniously and make use of each other strengths. Share an anecdote with the recruiter where you worked as part of a team to successfully complete a group task. The ability to train other team members is also a desirable skill that employers may be searching for that you can also highlight within your cover letter.

Proficient IT skills

Technological age legal practise involves a range of digital tasks such as compiling spreadsheets, using online databases and using word processing software to create presentations. As such, recruiters are looking for paralegals with proficient IT skills, if you have completed a relevant course of qualification you can mention this within your cover letter. Advanced IT skills can give you an advantage over other applicants and are particularly beneficial when working within niches such as litigation support and e-discovery.

Paralegal cover letter example

Each cover letter you write must be unique to the job advertisement you are responding to. To help provide both inspiration and guidance, here is an example paralegal cover letter that you can use when drafting your own:

Example

Review this example cover letter to see how you might structure your own:

Dear Mr. Jones,

It is with keen interest that I submit my CV in response to the paralegal position available with Witton's Solicitors, my former colleague Jack Smith advised me of the position. We worked together at Smithfield Law and on one occasion collaborated to draft 12 dispositions within 72 hours due to incredibly strict deadlines. The dedication and attention to detail I demonstrated while providing a consistently high level of legal support would make me a valuable addition to your team.

During my 10 year career as a paralegal, I have honed my organisational abilities and developed effective time management that enables me to conduct thorough research and create accurate reports to support a variety of legal cases. I understand the importance of handling confidential information with a sensitive nature and can deliver high-quality performance when preparing clients for appointments and court appearances or when supporting the firm's lawyers with any case-related tasks. With my persistent resourcefulness and passion for providing effective legal support, I would make be an excellent choice for the position.

A few of my key accomplishments that demonstrate the value I could bring to your firm include:

• Independently created several templates for contracts, drafts and correspondence that reduced documentation drafting company-wide by 55%

• Supported a team of six solicitors specialising in criminal law

• Researched and recommended a more cost-effective IT vendor to reduce costs by 15%

• Trained 6 paralegals in research best practices

I believe that my educational background combined with hands-on experience in a fast-paced law firm provides me with the capabilities to make me an excellent paralegal with Witton's solicitors. I am keen to learn more about the role and discuss my application in more detail with you. I am available at your convenience to arrange an interview and would like to thank you for your time and consideration.

Yours sincerely,

Patsy Brooks

Disclaimer: The model shown is for illustration purposes only, and may require additional formatting to meet accepted standards.

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