138. The Right Moves: Job Search and Career Development Strategies for Lawyers

Gary introduces Valerie Fontaine, a highly knowledgeable legal search consultant in this podcast episode. Valerie shares her professional journey and how she found her passion for helping lawyers and law firms find the right fit. She emphasizes the importance of understanding clients' and candidates' needs and values to make successful placements. Valerie also provides advice on selling oneself effectively during the job search process and highlights the role of recruiters in preparing candidates for interviews. She discusses how law firms can differentiate themselves to attract top talent and shares insights on hiring trends in the legal industry. Valerie finds fulfillment in her work by positively impacting people's lives.

Valerie Fontaine has assisted thousands of lawyers with career transitions over the past four decades as a legal search consultant (headhunter for lawyers). She coaches attorney candidates regarding career development and assists law firms with attracting and retaining top attorney talent. Valerie is a former lawyer, a published author, both in print and online, and has been a guest speaker on several podcasts and presenting before live audiences. Her book, “The Right Moves: Job Search and Career Development Strategies for Lawyers,” published by NALP (National Association of Law Placement), now is in its second edition.

Valerie practiced law with a prominent Los Angeles law firm and entered the legal search profession in 1981. In 2021, 2022 and 2023, she was named to the Fifth Annual Lawdragon Global 100 Leaders in Legal Strategy & Consulting. She was one of three legal recruiters in the U.S. elected to its inaugural Hall of Fame, a “recognition for those consultants whose strategic insight has been unsurpassed in a career dedicated to helping law firms ascend.”