Valerie A. Fontaine earned her JD from UC Hastings College of Law 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 Secretary to the Board of Directors of the National Association of Legal Search Consultants (NALSC) and Chairs its Newsletter Committee.
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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Originally posted on LawJobs.com. Due diligence into their target law firms by lateral candidates is even more important in the post-COVID era. The way a law firm handled the economic shutdown and reopening, as well as its management and financial posture afterward, are vital considerations when determining which firm would be the best fit for…
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