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Additional Law Resume Samples
Civil Litigation Paralegal Resume Samples
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0-5 years of experience
- Edited and prepared documents for filing and service in federal and California state courts.
- Communicated effectively with clients, opposing counsel and service vendors.
- Coordinated firm calendar for attorney appearances and case deadlines.
- Maintained case management files, court docket and discovery index.
- Drafted various pleadings, discovery and correspondence.
- Researched and summarized case law into memorandum format.
0-5 years of experience
- Meet Monthly billing goal of $40,500.
- Status updates to client every 30 days as required by client contract. Complete spreadsheet reports for client conference calls every two weeks. Give chronology of the files and action to move files to Judgment.
- Schedule hearings, mediations Case Management Conferences with Clerk and Opposing Counsel. Complete Paralegal review of file, draft Case Brief for attorney review. Research applicable case law.
- Review loss mitigation and non-retention files to determine file status and next course of action and negotiate possible resolution.
- Maintain client contact through phone calls, emails, faxes, and scheduled office meetings. Responsible for attorney calendar.
- Trial preparation and Post Judgment file maintenance including closing file and client disengagement letters. Filing appeals and appellate procedures. Negotiate settlement options on behalf of client.
- Manage tasking system in Pro Law daily including all discovery tasks and carrying between 300-600 file case load.
- Draft pleadings from case initiation Complaint, Amended Complaint, Summons, Discovery and Responses to Discovery Requests through Final Judgment and Post Trial maintenance including closing files and client disengagement letters. Areas of Law: Civil Litigation, Foreclosure.
0-5 years of experience
- Evaluate claims, conduct research, and draft status reports to clients throughout all phases of litigation
- Prepare written discovery requests and coordinate document production
- Review and analyze medical, employment and educational records and draft memorandum regarding same
- Draft discovery motions including for court orders and to compel production of pertinent documents in a variety of jurisdictions including, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut and U.S. District Court.
- Attend depositions and draft summaries of transcripts for use in trial preparation and settlement negotiation
- Retain expert witnesses and communicate regarding case strategy and medical history
0-5 years of experience
- Research Westlaw, LexisNexis, and other related websites.
- Drafting pleadings, file pleadings in Magistrate, State, Superior, and Federal Courts.
- Maintaining client relations as the first point of contact.
- Analyzing situations and preparing evaluations for the senior attorney as well as junior
- Maintain a pose and professional attitude with managing an extremely large and high
- Analyzing statutes and related case law.
10+ years of experience
- Assist attorneys with research, investigations, preparation and filing of pleadings and discovery, deposition preparation, exhibit preparation and hearing/trial preparation
- Assist attorneys with the preparation, filing and serving of briefs by checking
- Assist attorneys with review, organization and maintenance of discovery and document productions
- Assist attorneys with management and review of e-discovery documents through database management software
- Assist attorneys at hearings, trials and arbitrations with exhibit preparation and management, and preparing and operating trial presentation software
- Provide legal and administrative support for Litigation Department
- Conduct basic research employing online resources such as Westlaw and LexisNexis
6-10 years of experience
- Case Manager for all New York State Civil and Supreme Court Litigation cases.
- Researched various legal and regulatory sources in order to evaluate routine and/or complex requests. Analyzed case information to identify pertinent issues to administrative claims, in civil complaints for litigation such as: Summons & Complaint, Judgments, Satisfaction of Judgments, Judgment after Inquest, Stipulation of Settlement, Confession of Judgment, Preparation and Execution of Income and Property Execution, Bank Subpoenas, Transcript of Judgments. Gathering and coordination case material for trials, and preparation for examination before trial and all other civil litigation issues.
- Communicate with attorneys, clerks, and all other parties related to cases.
- Screened telephone calls, schedule appointments, filing court documents and other general office duties.
Civil Litigation Paralegal Duties and Responsibilities
The duties of civil litigation paralegals differ based on their employer, but after analyzing online job listings, we identified the following core responsibilities:
Conduct Research Civil litigation paralegals conduct extensive research about the case and then present their findings to attorneys. This is a thorough process that entails studying relevant laws, assessing the accuracy of case facts, and interviewing key persons involved. Since the result is a huge amount of information that isn’t always consistent, they must analyze and integrate this data to form a cohesive summary.
Prepare Legal Documents Civil litigation paralegals regularly draft legal documents such as motions, pleadings, discovery requests and responses, interrogatories, and briefs. Since litigations require significant paperwork, it’s up to civil litigation paralegals to organize these, usually through a digital database where they can upload and retrieve documents easily.
Assist Clients A civil litigation paralegal assists clients throughout the entire process. Those in this role work with clients to learn more about the case and to relay possible courses of action, in addition to sending frequent status updates. In general, they take care of client concerns, booking attorney meetings as requested and processing documents for them.
Handle Logistics Administrative tasks are part of a civil litigation paralegal’s job, as they are the attorney’s main point of contact with clients, opposing counsel, and others involved in the case. They coordinate the attorney’s schedule, finalizing dates for mediation or settlement meetings and more informal appointments. In addition, they handle logistics such as filing court papers and reserving venues for meetings.
Provide Trial Support In the rare instances that a civil case is brought to trial, civil litigation paralegals help attorneys prepare. They procure the necessary documents, including deposition transcripts and medical records, and arrange trial notebooks, from witness lists to exhibits. They also orient witnesses about case strategy and court protocol.
Civil Litigation Paralegal Skills and Qualifications
Civil litigation paralegals have a knack for collecting and handling information, whether they’re searching through databases, asking direct questions, or sorting paperwork. They are organized and mindful of details, and have significant knowledge of law and litigation. In addition to a college degree or certificate in paralegal studies, employers typically look for candidates with the following skills and qualifications:
- Legal knowledge – most of a civil litigation paralegal’s tasks depend on having a good grasp of both legal jargon and the trial process, as they must perform investigations, write legal documents, and guide clients and witnesses
- Organization skills – civil litigation paralegals juggle several tasks on any given day, so it’s important for them to stay organized, especially since accuracy of detail is fundamental to successful litigation
- Research – attorneys, who focus on analysis, rely on civil litigation paralegals to perform the bulk of pre-trial research. Those with this job must be adept at gathering crucial data from a variety of sources while ensuring accuracy
- Critical thinking – civil litigation paralegals assess investigation results with a critical eye and contribute their own assessment of the case to attorneys, solving their way through apparent inconsistencies and making astute, evidence-based deductions
- Communication skills – it’s vital for civil litigation paralegals to communicate well. In their interactions with different kinds of people, they must relay information clearly and exhibit good interviewing skills
Civil Litigation Paralegal Education and Training
There are many educational paths to becoming a civil litigation paralegal. The most straightforward is earning a bachelor’s or associate’s degree related to paralegal studies. Those with other degrees may obtain certification through an accredited paralegal program, which lasts several months at most, or attend one year of law school. In addition, most employers require previous work experience of one year or more, depending on the complexity of the job.
Civil Litigation Paralegal Salary and Outlook
According to PayScale, the median annual salary for civil litigation paralegals is nearly $54,000. Those in the 10th percentile make less than $38,000 per year, while the highest paid earn more than $73,000. Medical benefits are less common compared to other jobs, with one-fifth of these paralegals receiving none. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects paralegals and legal assistants (a sector that includes civil litigation paralegals) will experience 15 percent job growth through 2026. Large corporations may hire in-house paralegals to lower costs, and law firms seeking to expand their services also add to the demand.
Helpful Resources
Many resources are available online for those interested in the career path of civil litigation paralegals. The following curated links include books and organizations:
National Association of Legal Assistants – NALA is the premier community in the US for paralegals. It specializes in education and professional development, and its certification program is one of the most highly regarded in the industry
The Redbook: A Manual on Legal Style – civil litigation paralegals must be well-versed at legal writing. This book is a useful tool that’s been called the bible of legal style, covering both grammar rules and prose style alongside detailed explanations and illustrations
American Bar Association – a global organization with more than 400,000 members, ABA is geared toward law professionals, including attorneys, legal assistants, law students, and paralegals. It offers a wide range of learning material, along with practical listings such as accredited law schools and continuing legal education (CLE) requirements by state
Paralegal Today: The Essentials – this book, which caters to aspiring paralegals with its sweeping overview of the career, doubles as a practical guide for landing a position as well as learning fundamental legal concepts
Legal Talk Network – one way of keeping up with industry trends and benefiting from the insights of top professionals is listening to podcasts. Civil litigation paralegals can visit this leading legal-centric podcast network, which features more than 20 podcast series and releases several episodes every week