Biography of R. Peter Fontaine, Esq.
Senior Advisor
Peter Fontaine has served as legal counsel and trusted business advisor to senior executives for 30 years - both as in-house counsel and founder of NewGate Law, Ltd.
Peter began his legal career at Massachusetts based Digital Equipment Corporation, one of the early pioneers in the high technology sector. At DEC, he served as general counsel for its
professional services division. He left DEC and joined accounting industry giant Arthur Andersen as assistant general counsel responsible for Andersen’s global business consulting practice. After Andersen ceased operations, Peter moved to McGladrey, the 5th largest accounting firm in North America, and served as its general counsel for nearly a decade. Peter’s entrepreneurial spirit led him to form NewGate Law, which provides legal counsel to accounting and other professional services firms.
In his role as corporate counsel, Peter collaborated closely with dozens of national and international law firms - large and small, full service and boutiques - to deliver the highest quality services to his corporate clients in wide range of sophisticated, sensitive and critical matters. Peter also led major initiatives to select, evaluate and more effectively partner with law firms, and measure the success of those relationships. While at both Andersen and McGladrey, he served as a consultant to executives leading the firms’ practices serving the legal professions, and was instrumental in developing their marketing and other strategic initiatives. Peter has presented to state bar associations on the subject of promoting and sustaining valued alliances between lawyers and their clients. As the founder and managing partner of a specialty law practice, Peter has had first-hand experience with successful client development, service and management, as well as generating and maintaining high levels of client satisfaction and loyalty.
Education and Affiliations
Peter received his undergraduate degree from the College of the Holy Cross, and his law degree from the evening program at the New England School of Law – both in the Boston area. He has also received advanced legal and business instruction at the Harvard Law School and INSEAD. Peter is admitted to actively practice law in Illinois and Massachusetts.
Peter is long standing member of the Association of Corporate Counsel, and serves on the Board of Directors of its Chicago Chapter. He is also a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. Peter is a frequent presenter at conferences on legal and risk management issues of interest to the accounting industry, and is the author of many articles.
Contact Peter at:
Cell: (312) 626-2791
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