Our Women’s History Month series continues with an interview with Nixon Peabody partner Valerie Montague. Learn more about Valerie’s professional journey and career milestones in our attorney spotlight.
Tell us a little about yourself, your practice, and your role as a partner lead for the Chicago chapter of the Women’s Resource Group.
I’m a partner in the Healthcare group in Chicago. My practice focuses on health information privacy and security: data breaches, compliance investigations, and everything related to health data. For the past several years, I’ve been fortunate to serve as the Chicago lead for the Women’s Resource Group. I enjoy working with my colleague, Christie Kurow, to plan content for our dynamic women attorneys in Chicago and to support NP’s DEI efforts to help women and other underrepresented groups advance in their legal careers.
How is your practice group making an impact in your clients’ industries?
Our Health Information Privacy practice advises clients on how to share health information in a compliant manner among providers and social service agencies, many of whom serve vulnerable populations. We also assist healthcare organizations experiencing data events that significantly disrupt operations, counseling them through notification requirements and mitigation. We have significant experience with regulatory investigations, which helps us strengthen clients’ privacy and security compliance efforts and mount a robust response designed to avoid financial penalties and corrective action plans.
What inspires you?
I’ve been lucky to work with many nonprofit, mission-driven clients over the course of my career. It’s the best of both worlds to handle sophisticated legal work at a firm like NP and simultaneously serve clients who make a difference locally and across the country in health research, education, and patient care. Knowing that I am helping to support such valuable services is inspiring.
Why do you do the work you do?
I chose a career in health law because it’s a highly regulated field, and the constant legal changes ensure that I am always learning. It is (almost!) never dull, and no day is the same. I also like the health law field because the needs of our clients allow me to work with attorneys across practice groups and offices.
What’s one piece of advice you’d give to women just starting their legal careers?
Find an area of the law that you are passionate about (or, at the very least, that you enjoy!). To the extent that you can, surround yourself with people you enjoy and can learn from. The legal practice can be challenging, and it’s a lot easier to pursue success if you are happy with your work and your environment.
