What 4 Skills Should Paralegals Have in 2025?

When you’re working as a paralegal, it’s not enough to have exceptional legal knowledge. Law firms are looking for a mastery of complex legal information, an aptitude for technology, and the ability to constantly evolve within your role. Education and ongoing practice are key to developing the skills necessary to succeed as a paralegal.

Four paralegal skills stand out as absolutely essential in 2025—let’s take a look at what they are.

Key Takeaways

• • Paralegals in 2025 must master both technical and soft skills—including attention to detail, communication, adaptability, and time management—to thrive in a changing legal environment.
  • Technology, shifting employer expectations, and hybrid work models are driving the need for paralegals to continually expand their knowledge and stay flexible in their roles.
  • Building a successful paralegal career requires ongoing learning, certifications, and hands-on experience, with formal education providing a strong foundation for growth.

Why Are Paralegal Skills Evolving?

Before we cover the skills paralegals need to excel in their roles, it’s important to understand why paralegal skills continue to evolve. This is happening for several reasons that involve both technological advancements and changes in the legal industry.

Impact of Technology on Legal Work

New technology has a profound impact on how you apply your paralegal skills at work. For instance, 73% of legal professionals intended to use generative AI in their legal work at some point during 2024.

Additionally, law firms often change legal software based on industry trends. With technology often shaping the legal field, you must be prepared to navigate new digital tools and technological advancements as a paralegal.

Changing Expectations From Employers

How law firms view their paralegals and what they deliver has also changed. While paralegals may have focused primarily on legal research in the past, their roles have become increasingly dynamic and geared toward adaptability.

Paralegals are often expected to learn new technology, navigate regulatory changes, and utilize their skills in case management for both client matters and internal firm operations.

Importance of Adaptability

Adaptability is everything to modern paralegals, who are expected to “roll with the punches” as the firm takes on new clients or incorporates new technology into their daily operations.

The foundational quality that underpins a paralegal’s four essential skills is your ability to be flexible in regards to your firm’s needs. For instance, 85% of America’s 200 biggest law firms now operate under a hybrid model. As a result, you’ll need to be able to adapt to peers and clients working both in-office and at home.

4 Essential Skills Every Paralegal Should Have in 2025

Adaptability may be the most important paralegal skill, but it’s far from the only one you need in your toolbox. Here’s a breakdown of the four essentials that paralegals need to stand out.

1. Superior Attention to Detail

Much of your work will involve drafting legal documents and showcasing your accuracy and efficiency when dealing with client cases. A detail-oriented mindset is a must. Oversights, such as missed deadlines or misinterpretations of legal clauses, can damage client relationships and reflect poorly on both you and your firm.

2. Interpersonal and Communication Skills

Your ability to communicate makes you a useful intermediary between your firm’s clients and its lawyers. Beyond that, interpersonal skills make you a major asset to your employer. With 54% of law firms citing a lack of communication skills as a major organizational challenge, you can be the person who fills that skill gap and demonstrate your capability as a paralegal.

3. Commitment to Lifelong Learning

Your research skills can only get you so far in your paralegal career. When you pursue this profession, you’re making a commitment to a life of learning. You have to be willing to build upon the base that an associate or bachelor’s degree provides, continually expanding your knowledge of the legal field. From understanding new technology systems to navigating regulatory changes, a motivation to constantly learn is crucial for paralegals.

4. Time Management and Multi-Tasking

On top of your continued learning, you need stellar organizational skills to succeed as a paralegal. Your responsibilities are vast.

Paralegals spend their days managing case data, providing direct service to clients, and consulting with attorneys in their firms, all often under tight deadlines. To bounce seamlessly between these tasks, you must learn how to effectively manage your time.

How Can Paralegals Develop These Skills?

Now that you understand the wide range of skills that paralegals must develop, what’s next? After all, understanding those skills and actually developing them are two different things. In order to break through the legal assistant stereotype and shine as a paralegal, you can cultivate your skills through several different methods.

Pursuing Relevant Training and Certifications

While formal education will always underpin your work as a paralegal, law firms expect you to constantly develop your understanding of legal proceedings and how your research applies to each case. An associate’s degree in the field is often a minimum, though larger firms may prefer paralegals with bachelor’s degrees.

Obtaining relevant certifications—such as becoming a Certified Paralegal via courses taken with the National Association of Legal Assistants—will also help you develop your paralegal skills.

Leveraging Professional Development Opportunities

Your law firm wants to foster your growth, and they will often provide opportunities for you to develop your skills through certification programs. Take advantage of these opportunities!

In some cases, these opportunities may be mandatory. For instance, California requires all paralegals to complete at least four hours of continued learning and education on the topics of general law and legal ethics every two years.

Practicing Skills “On-the-Job”

While certifications and continuing education can be immensely beneficial, there are few substitutes for “on-the-job” training in the paralegal sector. Your law firm will use specific software and have procedures in place for you to follow, all of which you can only learn through experience.

Understanding the true nuances of client communication also comes from exercising your budding interpersonal skills in the workplace and in collaboration with your peers. As much as 70% of your learning comes from this type of daily practice, according to the U.K.’s Law Society, so look for any opportunity to develop your skills through your work.

Want to Discover How UC Can Help You Improve Your Skills as a Paralegal? Contact Us Today

Developing your baseline for the paralegal skills you need starts with taking an appropriate course. We offer associate and post-associate certificates in law and paralegal studies, along with a bachelor’s degree for the subject. All courses are conducted online—allowing you to learn at your own pace—and are approved by the American Bar Association.

Get in touch with an Enrollment Advisor today and learn how UC can help you begin your journey as a paralegal!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What are paralegal skills?

Paralegal skills include a blend of technical abilities—like legal research, writing, and case management—and interpersonal strengths such as communication and organization. Together, they allow you to support attorneys, manage cases, and navigate the evolving demands of the legal field.

Why are paralegal soft skills important?

Soft skills like communication, adaptability, and time management are crucial for working effectively with attorneys, clients, and colleagues. They help you manage changing priorities and maintain strong professional relationships, making you a valuable asset to any law firm.

How might a paralegal use their skills day-to-day?

Paralegals apply their skills by drafting documents, managing case files, researching legal issues, and communicating with clients and attorneys. Each day requires strong organization, attention to detail, and flexibility to meet shifting case needs and deadlines.

What makes the best paralegal?

The best paralegals are detail-oriented, organized, and adaptable professionals who excel at both legal work and client communication. They continually learn new technologies and legal practices to stay ahead in a fast-changing industry.

What is the average salary for a paralegal in the U.S.?

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average salary for a paralegal was $61,010 as of May 2024. Glassdoor reports a range between $46,000 to $70,000 per year, which may vary depending on location, education, and experience level.