Valerie A. Fontaine earned her JD from UC Law San Francisco (formerly UC Hastings) and her BA, Phi Beta Kappa and magna cum laude, from UCLA. She was on the Editorial Board of COMM/ENT, a Journal of Communications and Entertainment Law. Valerie practiced law with a prominent Los Angeles law firm and entered the legal search profession in 1981. Valerie is past Secretary to the Board of Directors of the National Association of Legal Search Consultants (NALSC) and former Chair of its Newsletter Committee. She currently serves as a consultant to NALSC headquarters.
Virtual job interviews became the norm following the nationwide business shutdown prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Legal industry employers learned, by necessity, that virtual working and hiring was effective and, perhaps, even preferred. With law firms and corporations spanning the nation and the globe, interviewing via videoconference will remain an important part of the hiring…
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Remote working for lawyers became the norm when COVID-19 hit the U.S. in mid-March 2020 and businesses closed to comply with local stay-at-home orders. Quite a few law firms don’t expect to return to the office officially until early 2021, especially in major markets such as the Northeast and California. Many see remote working as…
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The word “sales” makes many lawyers uncomfortable, but you’re in sales every day whether you realize it or not. You sell yourself and your expertise to your firm or company, current and potential clients, colleagues, opponents, and judges. And, when searching for a new position, you are the product you want the prospective employer to…
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One key to lateral hiring success is understanding and mitigating any red flags that crop up throughout the recruiting process. These warning signs can differ dramatically from firm to firm, depending upon each firm’s people, hiring process, and history. They’re also easily overlooked, either because they’re subtle, or because the candidate is likeable, has connections…
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