Who is Valerie Fulton from Jeopardy?

Valerie Fulton is a South Carolina attorney known for her work in personal injury, workers’ compensation, and Social Security Disability law. Based in Greenville, South Carolina, Fulton currently practices at Fulton & Barr, P.A., a law firm that has served clients across Upstate South Carolina since 1983.

Her appearance on Jeopardy! introduced viewers to a contestant whose professional life centers on advocacy, public service, and helping people navigate difficult legal and insurance systems. Throughout her legal career, Fulton has focused on representing injured individuals and supporting clients facing financial, medical, and workplace challenges.

Fluent in English and Spanish and highly proficient in Portuguese, Fulton has become especially recognized for serving underserved and Spanish-speaking communities throughout the region. Her multilingual skills have allowed her to provide more accessible legal services to clients who may otherwise struggle with language barriers while navigating complex legal matters.

In recent years, her work has earned increasing recognition within the legal profession, including being named a Super Lawyers Rising Star from 2024 through 2026, an honor reserved for a small percentage of attorneys nationwide.

Strong Academic Success at Wofford College

Valerie Fulton’s academic achievements began during her time at Wofford College in Spartanburg, South Carolina.

She attended Wofford from 2009 through 2013, graduating magna cum laude with a degree in History and Spanish while also completing a concentration in Latin American and Caribbean Studies.

Her academic focus reflected both intellectual curiosity and a deep interest in language, culture, and international perspectives. Studying history and Latin American studies often involves analyzing political systems, cultural movements, international relations, and social change across different regions and time periods.

Fulton’s dedication to language studies also became a major part of her future legal career. Her fluency in Spanish and advanced Portuguese skills would later allow her to work more closely with immigrant and underserved communities throughout South Carolina.

During her undergraduate years, she also attended Middlebury College’s prestigious Brazilian Portuguese immersion program in 2011. Middlebury’s language schools are known for their intensive immersion-based teaching approach, where students are expected to communicate exclusively in the target language.

Her academic accomplishments at Wofford reflected not only strong scholarship but also a broader commitment to communication and cross-cultural understanding.

Earning Her Law Degree at Washington and Lee

After graduating from Wofford College, Valerie Fulton continued her education at Washington and Lee University School of Law in Virginia.

She earned her Juris Doctor degree in 2017 and graduated cum laude, continuing the academic excellence that had marked her undergraduate years.

While in law school, Fulton became heavily involved in student leadership and legal organizations. She served as Co-President of the Women Law Students Organization and also worked as a Head Hearing Advisor.

These leadership roles demonstrated her ability to balance academics with mentorship, organization, and advocacy responsibilities within the law school community.

She additionally participated in the American Constitution Society and Phi Delta Phi, one of the nation’s oldest legal honor societies. Her membership in Phi Beta Kappa and Phi Delta Phi further reflected her strong academic standing.

Law school often serves as the foundation for future legal specialization, and Fulton’s experiences there helped prepare her for a career centered on litigation, advocacy, and public service.

Building Legal Experience Through Clerkships and Internships

Before entering private practice full-time, Valerie Fulton gained extensive legal experience through clerkships, internships, and public service positions.

She served as a law clerk to Judge Donald B. Hocker within the South Carolina Judicial Department, gaining firsthand exposure to courtroom procedure, judicial analysis, and legal research.

Judicial clerkships are highly respected within the legal profession because they allow young attorneys to observe legal proceedings closely while strengthening research and writing skills.

Fulton also completed internships and clerkships with several prominent legal and governmental organizations. These included Motley Rice, one of the nation’s best-known plaintiffs’ law firms, and the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina under Judge Richard M. Gergel.

Her additional experiences included work with Senator Lindsey Graham’s office and the South Carolina Victim Assistance Network, exposing her to legislative issues, victim advocacy, and broader public service work.

These positions helped Fulton develop a broad legal foundation while strengthening her understanding of litigation, public policy, advocacy, and judicial systems.

Working at Ogletree Deakins Before Joining Fulton & Barr

After law school, Valerie Fulton worked as an associate attorney at Ogletree Deakins in Columbia, South Carolina.

Ogletree Deakins is a major labor and employment law firm, and Fulton’s work there focused primarily on employment litigation. Employment litigation involves legal disputes connected to workplace rights, labor regulations, discrimination claims, and employer-employee conflicts.

During this time, she also contributed legal writing and analysis, including authoring the article “Combatting the Shortage of Home Care Workers: Going Co-Op?” for Ogletree Deakins Insights in 2017.

Her experience at Ogletree helped strengthen her litigation and legal analysis skills while exposing her to complex employment and workplace law matters.

In June 2019, Fulton joined Fulton & Barr, P.A. in Greenville, where she shifted her primary focus toward representing injured individuals and disabled clients.

This move aligned more closely with her broader interest in advocacy and helping individuals facing personal hardship and legal challenges.

Representing Injured Clients and Spanish-Speaking Communities

At Fulton & Barr, Valerie Fulton focuses on personal injury law, workers’ compensation cases, and Social Security Disability claims.

These practice areas often involve representing clients dealing with physical injuries, medical complications, financial difficulties, and insurance disputes. Attorneys in these fields help clients pursue compensation, navigate legal systems, and secure benefits after injuries or disabilities affect their lives.

One of the defining aspects of Fulton’s legal work is her dedication to underserved and Spanish-speaking communities throughout Upstate South Carolina.

Because she is fluent in Spanish and highly proficient in Portuguese, Fulton is able to communicate directly with many clients who might otherwise face language barriers while seeking legal help.

Her multilingual communication skills have become an important part of her advocacy work, particularly in communities where access to legal representation may be limited.

Her approach emphasizes personalized representation, client communication, and helping individuals better understand complicated legal and insurance systems during stressful periods in their lives.

Recognition, Leadership, and Community Involvement

Valerie Fulton’s growing professional reputation has been reflected through multiple honors, affiliations, and community leadership roles.

Most notably, she was recognized as a Super Lawyers Rising Star from 2024 through 2026. The Rising Stars designation recognizes attorneys who demonstrate significant professional achievement and peer recognition early in their careers.

She is also affiliated with the Stanford E. Lacy American Inn of Court, an organization focused on professionalism, ethics, and mentorship within the legal profession.

Beyond her legal practice, Fulton has remained actively involved in educational and civic organizations. She has served as a board member for the Mosaic Educational and Arts Program and has participated in volunteer efforts involving Big Brothers Big Sisters, Junior Achievement, and the Episcopal Diocese of Upper South Carolina.

Her volunteer work has included mentoring young people, teaching financial literacy to students, and assisting immigrant communities through translation and advocacy services.

These activities reflect a broader commitment to public service and community engagement beyond the courtroom.

Valerie Fulton’s Jeopardy! Appearance

Valerie Fulton’s appearance on Jeopardy! highlights the analytical thinking and broad knowledge base often associated with attorneys and legal professionals.

Contestants on the long-running quiz show frequently come from academically demanding careers, and Fulton’s background in law, history, languages, and advocacy makes her an especially strong example.

Her legal career requires extensive research, public speaking, communication, and problem-solving skills, all qualities that can translate well into quiz competition environments.

For viewers, Fulton represents a modern attorney whose work extends beyond legal representation into mentorship, multilingual outreach, and community advocacy.

Whether helping injured clients in South Carolina, supporting underserved communities, mentoring young people, or competing on Jeopardy!, Valerie Fulton has built a career centered on service, communication, and advocacy.