Overview
Valerie provides business-centric guidance for commercial and technology transactions, particularly when data privacy issues arise.
Valerie is a trusted legal advisor specializing in commercial and technology transactions, with a distinct focus on data privacy issues. Her practice is built on a deep passion for the intersection of privacy, law, and emerging technology, enabling her to provide business-centric guidance that not only addresses today’s challenges but also anticipates practical business risks.
By closely monitoring evolving technology trends and the shifting landscape of privacy regulations, Valerie delivers practical, proactive strategies designed to mitigate both legal and business risks. She helps clients navigate complex compliance issues in a data-driven economy.
Valerie brings two years of specialized experience in privacy and transactional work. Her background includes a year-long in-house internship at a non-profit bioscience research institution, followed by a six-month secondment with a multinational fintech company. In these roles, she collaborated across functions to advise on a broad spectrum of privacy matters—from internal compliance and application development to research and product innovation—and worked to make internal legal processes more efficient. Her expertise is evidenced by her extensive experience drafting and negotiating various commercial contracts, developing comprehensive privacy policies, and preparing and negotiating Data Processing Agreements (DPAs).
Valerie holds a CIPP-US certification, is an active member of the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP), and has completed advanced coursework in privacy, data science, and artificial intelligence. These credentials further reinforce her ability to guide clients through the complexities of modern privacy laws and regulations.
As an integral member of Summit’s Tech Transaction team, Valerie works with clients of all sizes across diverse sectors, including financial services and education technology. Her business-oriented approach and deep technical insight make her a trusted partner for companies looking to innovate in an increasingly interconnected world.
Clients. An integral part of Summit's Tech Transaction team, Valerie works with various-sized clients across a spectrum of sectors, such as financial and education tech.
Credentials
Education
- Seattle University School of Law
JD - University of Washington
BA - CIPP-US Certification
Admissions
- Washington
Awards & Accolades
- Graduated Seattle University School of Law with Magna Cum Laude
- Seattle University School of Law - Law Review - Executive Editor of Notes & Comments
Memberships
- IAPP
- Washington State Bar Association
- King County Bar Association
Community Service
- Valerie partners with Communities Rise to provide pro-bono legal services.
Publications & Speaking Engagements
- Valerie Shmigol, The United States Is Enabling an Outer Space Arms Race, 46 SEATTLE U. L. REV. 175 (2022).
- Jessica Mogk, Valerie Shmigol, Marvin Futrell, Bert Stover, Amy Hagopian, Court-Imposed Fines as a Feature of the Homeless – Incarceration Nexus, 42 J. PUBLIC HEALTH 2, e107-e119 (2019).