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.
Prospective employers can blow the interview process just as easily as job seekers can. Many of the potential pitfalls are similar to those experienced by candidates and some are unique to the employer’s side of the equation. The jobseeker complaints listed below unfortunately are all too common. Muddled objective A major jobseeker pet peeve is…
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Rather than making business cards obsolete, technology merely transformed how we use them. Good, old fashioned, business cards still are important. Never leave home without at least a couple in your wallet. In a business situation, the card allows you to appear prepared, professional, and ready for any opportunity that may come your way. In…
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With so many demands on a lawyer’s time, anything additional must be well worth it. Active involvement in Bar Associations or other, similar professional organizations, definitely passes that test. To reap the benefits, just being admitted to the bar in your jurisdiction doesn’t do the trick; you must seek out and involve yourself in the…
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Lawyers should Google themselves for the same reasons law firms and corporations do. Self-Googling (or “ego-surfing,” as it’s sometimes called) is not narcissism; it’s a wise move to identify and shape your personal online reputation or “brand.” Given that everyone from prospective employers to potential clients is likely to check you out online, you should…
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