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You’re about to draft a stunning paralegal cover letter.
From paraphrasing legal jargon to drafting documents to preparing subpoenas, you change lives in the background.
First, though—
You need to submit evidence proving you’re the best law candidate by delivering an awesome cover letter for paralegal jobs.
Don’t worry.
This paralegal cover letter guide will show you:
- Paralegal cover letter examples better than 9 out of 10 others.
- How to write a perfect cover letter law firms and legal departments love.
- Tips on how to grab their attention with a professional legal cover letter.
- How to sell yourself on a cover letter to get the paralegal jobs you want.
Want to write your cover letter fast? Use our cover letter builder. Choose from 20+ professional cover letter templates that match your resume. See actionable examples and get expert tips along the way.
Sample cover letter for a resume—See more cover letter samples and create your cover letter here.
Considering similar positions too? See other cover letter examples for jobs in your industry:
- Legal Cover Letter
- Legal Assistant Cover Letter
- Consulting Cover Letter
- Attorney Cover Letter
- Law Firm Cover Letter
- Judicial Clerkship Cover Letter
- Federal Cover Letter
- Formal Cover Letter
Want to explore your options further? See our full selection of cover letter examples for every career: Best Cover Letter Examples for All Professions
First, here’s our take on the perfect cover letter for paralegal jobs:
Sample Paralegal Cover Letter No Experience
Li Xiu Ying
1234 35th St, #6
Astoria, NY 11106
March 15, 2019
Whitney Park-Simons
HR Manager
Gretchen & Gretchen, LLP
233 Broadway, 11th Floor
New York, NY 10279
Dear Whitney,
Coming out of a successful paralegal internship and having earned a Bachelor’s in Legal Studies, I am excited to have the opportunity to apply for your paralegal position. My research and investigative skills have been sharpened significantly during my law internship, and I am confident I have the focus and mettle to be a great addition to your paralegal team.
During my Fordham University coursework and subsequent legal internship at Smith & Sosnowski, I acquired and developed many skills which would serve me well as a paralegal at Gretchen & Gretchen. My experience spans probate cases, legal writing, bankruptcies, research, and investigations, and it positions me suitably for this new role.
During my time at S&S, I’ve had several wins I’m quite proud of:
- Completed research and documentation for over 50 legal cases
- Improved litigation research time by 15% by adopting new investigative tools
- Reduced administrative expenses by 22% through new client communication method.
As my accomplishments detail, I’m particularly fond of performing the research and data aspect of the industry, whether it’s liaising with courts and opposing counsel or preparing motions and discovery. If granted the opportunity to work alongside the great legal minds at Gretchen & Gretchen, that same grit and determination comes with me.
I would welcome the chance to discuss Gretchen & Gretchen’s upcoming cases and plans, as well as to share with you how my legal and administrative achievements provide me with an excellent foundation for inclusion on your legal team.
Sincerely,
Li Xiu Ying
P.S. Perhaps we could meet over lunch and I can explain my ideas to translate the 12% administrative expense reduction to your legal team?
How’s that?
Writing a paralegal resume cover letter that’s awesome beyond any reasonable doubt is simpler than you think. Read on to learn more!
1
Pick the Best Format for a Paralegal Cover Letter
Before a legal team has its day in court, there’s a lot of work to be done to prepare its case (much of which will fall on your shoulders).
Same here—
Prior to writing it, you need to make sure your paralegal cover letter format won’t get dismissed with prejudice.
Here’s a sample paralegal cover letter outline to follow like a court docket:
Cover Letter Paralegal Sample—Format Template
- Your personal details and the date of writing
- The legal firm’s details in a business letter format
- An opening greeting (e.g., Dear Ms. Park-Simons,)
- An intriguing opening statement
- Why you’re the best paralegal for hire
- Why this particular law firm is perfect for you
- A valediction with a powerful call to action
- A complimentary close (e.g., Sincerely) and your name
- Optionally, a postscript (P.S.) after your signature block
Keep your entry-level paralegal cover letter to around 200-300 words. If you have some paralegal or legal assistant experience, slightly more is fine.
To read more about choosing the best paralegal cover letter components, see this article: What to Include in a Cover Letter?
2
Start With a Paralegal Cover Letter Intro They’ll Love
Paralegal and legal assistant jobs are projected to grow by 15% between 2016 and 2026 in the US alone, adding more than 41,000 jobs.
That means—
You’ve got to grab their attention like a John Grisham novel.
So start off strong right out of the gate.
Begin with their name.
People love hearing their own names, based on brain studies—first name, especially:
Paralegal Cover Letter Examples—Salutation
| wrong |
|---|
| Dear sir or madam, |
| right |
|---|
| Dear Whitney, |
Easy as winning an ex parte decision!
Search the law firm’s website and scan through LinkedIn to find the hiring manager’s or partner’s name to whom you should address it.
Need to be more formal for more venerable institutions? Using their last name beats no name at all: Dear Ms. Park-Simons.
Can’t locate a name?
No worries.
Choose a neutral greeting, like Dear Hiring Manager—it’s still way better than To whom it may concern!
Pro Tip: Larger law firms may have their own HR department, or they hire an external recruiter to fill positions. In these cases, you’ll address HR. At small legal firms, however, you could address a law partner directly, so be formal and include their title.
Don’t care for Dear? Not able to find a name? We’ve got other options for various scenarios: How to Start a Cover Letter For a Job: Sample & Guide [20+ Examples]
Now, the opening statement.
For any trier of fact, the opening statement is often the first opportunity to hear from each side.
It’s similar here—
On any legal cover letter, the opening statement is your first chance to make a great impression.
Here’s how to start a cover letter for paralegal jobs:
Cover Letter for Paralegal Job Examples—Introductions
| wrong |
|---|
| I am very interested in submitting my application for the position you posted on Indeed. With my numerous skills, achievements, schooling, and experience, I know that you will find me to be an excellent candidate. |
| right |
|---|
| Coming out of a successful paralegal internship and having earned a Bachelor’s in Legal Studies, I am excited to have the opportunity to apply for your paralegal position. My research and investigative skills have been sharpened significantly during my internship, and I am confident I have the focus and mettle to be a great addition to your legal team. |
To paraphrase the most popular legal proverb: If you don’t make it prime, you won’t get the time (at an interview).
That wrong one is super generic and feels quite selfish—
Your job application will be immediately sentenced to life in the recycle bin.
The right one, though, makes you immediately appear to be a competent law firm candidate. Your background shows you have the experience they need, even if it’s for an entry-level paralegal position.
Prima facie, excellent!
Pro Tip: Writing a general cover letter is a capital offense—it’ll immediately kill your chances. Instead, tailor your cover letter for this one specific paralegal job at this one particular law firm. If you need to apply for a second job, write a new cover letter.
There are other ways to go about your paralegal or legal internship introduction statement. For more ideas, see: How to Write a Cover Letter For a Job: Sample & Guide [20+ Examples]
3
Write a Great Middle for Your Cover Letter for Paralegals
You need to habeas an awesome cover letter corpus if you want to get considered for the paralegal job offer.
So, make a solid case for your employment in the main body area.
In 2 or 3 paragraphs, here’s how to present your side in a legal cover letter body:
- Explain why you’re the best paralegal candidate or intern for their staff.
- Demonstrate your knowledge and know-how match their requirements.
- Quantify your achievements to prove your paralegal skills.
- Show them their specific law firm is the only one you want to work for.
Here’s a sample paralegal cover letter with no experience main statement:
Sample Cover Letter for Paralegals—Body Paragraphs
During my university coursework and subsequent law internship at Smith & Sosnowski, I developed and built many skills which would serve me well as a paralegal at Gretchen & Gretchen. My experience spans probate cases, divorce actions, bankruptcies, and investigations, and it positions me suitably for this new role.
During my time at S&S, my achievements included:
- Completed research and documentation for over 50 legal cases.
- Improved litigation research time by 15% by adopting new investigative tools.
- Reduced administrative expenses by 22% through new client communication method.
As my accomplishments detail, I’m particularly fond of performing the research and data aspect of the industry, whether it’s liaising with courts and opposing counsel or preparing motions and discovery. If granted the opportunity to work alongside the great legal minds at Gretchen & Gretchen, that same grit and determination comes with me.
This body area is as brief as an amicus, at only three paragraphs long.
However, in such a short space, it successfully covers your legal wins, related experience, and paralegal skill set. On top of that, it subtly conveys enthusiasm by throwing in a bit of flattery.
Sure to please the court!
Pro Tip: Emphasize the fact that you want to be a paralegal, and you’re not just interested in the position as an entry-level lawyer job stepping stone. Law firms want to see passion for law and justice, rather than to be used as a means to your career ends.
Need more ideas on how to tweak these middle bits? We’ve got all the cover letter dos and don’ts here: 35+ Best Tips and Advice For Writing a Cover Letter
4
How to Close Paralegal Cover Letters Like a Boss
Like Clarence Darrow, you’ve got to hold their attention in your closing arguments.
It doesn’t have to be 12 hours long, though.
Here’s how to bring your cover letter to a satisfying end:
Paralegal Cover Letters Samples—Closing Paragraph
| wrong |
|---|
| I await your response at your earliest convenience. |
| right |
|---|
| I would welcome the chance to discuss Gretchen & Gretchen’s upcoming cases and plans, as well as to share with you how my legal and administrative achievements provides me with an excellent foundation for membership on your legal team. |
The first example is curt and brutally impersonal—
A misdemeanor, at least.
The other one, though, closes it out respectfully and effectively.
It’ll make even Clarence Thomas offer up some verbal praise!
Next up, an easy closing sentiment and your full name:
Sample Cover Letter Paralegal—Valediction
Sincerely,
Li Xiu Ying
And finally, we have a postscript.
While it isn’t mandatory, including a P.S. below your signature is a great way to grab their attention one last time.
Here’s a paralegal cover letter example postscript:
Sample Entry-Level Paralegal Cover Letter —Postscript
P.S. Perhaps we could meet over a lunch and I can explain my ideas to translate the 12% administrative expense reduction to your legal team?
How about it?
This example is efficient because it briefly reminds them of your accomplishments. And, for even more effectiveness, it adds a personal touch to the otherwise formal nature of any cover letter.
Sure to convince any grand jury!
Pro Tip: To boost your paralegal job chances even further, mention any relevant certifications you’ve acquired. Don’t have any? Get one! NALA’s Certified Paralegal (CP) program is a respected one to consider, for example.
Looking for more ideas on how to close out a bankruptcy paralegal or litigation paralegal cover letter? We’ve a great guide right here: How to End a Cover Letter: Sample & Complete Guide [+20 Examples]
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When you’re done, Zety’s resume builder will score your resume and tell you exactly how to make it better.
Key Takeaway
So you see, writing a great cover letter for paralegal jobs causes no undue hardship.
Let’s bring it all together.
Here’s how to write the perfect paralegal cover letter:
- Format your paralegal cover letter template correctly.
- Begin with an intro statement that captivates from the start.
- Highlight the skills and experience you bring to the law firm.
- Use numbered accomplishments to prove your value.
- Close your cover letter for paralegal positions powerfully.
- Contemplate using a postscript to catch their eye once more.
Now THAT’S a paralegal cover letter as exciting as any Andy Carpenter mystery!
Have questions on how to write a paralegal internship cover letter? Not sure how to talk up your legal skills, relate your paralegal achievements, or mention your law experience? Get at us in the comments below, and we’ll answer your questions. Thanks for reading!
