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.
As law firms attempt to raise profitability, there is increased pressure on lawyers to bill a tremendous number of hours. While most large firms state a target billable hours requirement for associates on the partnership track of 2000, the reality is much higher. But not all hours are created equal. To get the most out of the…
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The conventional wisdom calling for two weeks’ notice before leaving a job does not always hold true for attorneys. If you are a law firm partner, you may have signed an agreement calling for much longer notice; conversely, you may be ushered out the door immediately. For all attorneys from associate to partner, client interests…
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A writing sample can make or break your chances of getting an offer. A candidate otherwise doing well in the interviewing process can be shot down by a poor writing sample; conversely, an excellent sample submitted by a candidate “on the fence” can tip the balance in favor of an offer. Writing samples most often…
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Should you disclose your pregnancy or need for accommodation during the job search process? If so, when and how? General rules Lawyers with disabilities or chronic illnesses, or who are pregnant confront similar issues during the job search process. You are not legally obligated to disclose pregnancy, illness, or disability before receiving an offer even…
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