Vaillancourt, Michele D. - Winthrop & Weinstine

My Approach

In the 1990s, I tracked bears in the woods near Ely, Minnesota for research purposes. Sometimes I think of my work in securities representing publicly-held companies as being like bear tracking – I work hard, quickly, to gather as much information as I can – find out where they’ve been, where they’re going, and what sustains them. I ask the pertinent questions, and put together all I learn to form a picture of the larger ecology of the company and the matter at hand. There are very specific regulations and processes to go through when working with any aspect of a public company, and a misstep or ignorance of a rule can lead to calamity – sometimes it’s important to know what not to do.

I work for my clients to find creative solutions to problems that help achieve their goals. One of the things I love about practicing law is that it combines creativity with practicality. You have to get it right, but there are new and interesting ways to get it right for each company. I work with my clients to strategize about how best to get a deal done, meet clients’ goals, and positioning ourselves so that we get to the other side.

Outside of work, I love doing anything outdoors, whether it’s fishing, boating or hiking. I also enjoy fitness kickboxing or doing yoga and then going out for a beer.

A Groundbreaking Moment in My Career

I took a year off between my undergraduate education and going to law school, to take bona fide accounting courses, and I’m grateful every day that I did. When working with my clients, I have the ability to knowledgeably talk with them about financial statements, forecasts and projections – the language of their businesses. Instead of just hoping we get it right, I think it’s important to get to where my clients are operating, and then translate their businesses into the legal side.