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.
Whether you’re using just one, or multiple, recruiters in your job search, you’re the one in charge. Search consultants can enhance and facilitate your search, but each recruiter only knows what he or she is doing; you know the whole picture. It’s up to you to keep all the moving parts on track and to…
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In today’s dynamic legal market, it’s possible to change jobs without leaving your desk—whether your desk is at home or in a commercial office building, or both, depending upon the day. With the increasing pace of partner moves, practice group acquisitions, spin-off firms, and law firm mergers, you might find yourself working for a progression…
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Building your own practice is essential to career success. Therefore, one of the most important considerations when contemplating a career move, especially at the partner level, is to assess which firm has the best platform for you to develop your client base. Just as hiring firms conduct due diligence when acquiring a lateral attorney, it’s…
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Avoiding your supervising partners’ pet peeves is easy as long as you conform to their idea of the perfect lawyer. What top partners from prestigious law firms say they are looking for in the ideal associate also applies to lawyers at all levels of seniority, and is a roadmap to success. This is what they…
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