Valerie A. Downing Arnold, Attorney

2109 County Road D East
Maplewood, MN 55109
651-771-0050

Profile

Valerie Arnold is shareholder with Tuft & Arnold, PLLC. Ms. Arnold was born in Istanbul, Turkey and grew up in Minneapolis. Ms. Arnold practices exclusively in the area of family law with an emphasis on interstate and international dissolution and child custody, third-party custody, and appellate law. Ms. Arnold has been named a three-time Rising Star by Law & Politics magazine for her work in family law. Ms. Arnold has authored numerous articles and has been a frequent speaker on interstate and international family law issues. Ms. Arnold is fluent in French.

Current Employment Position

Shareholder

Bar Admissions:

1997 Minnesota Supreme Court

2004 U.S. District Court District of Minnesota

Education:

University of Minnesota Law School, Minneapolis, MN
J.D. (1997)
Philip C. Jessup International Moot Court
Winter/Spring 1996, Université Jean Moulin, Lyon, France

University of Minnesota, Department of Curriculum and Instruction, Minneapolis, MN
Doctoral student in Second Languages and Cultures (1992 - 1994)

University of Minnesota, Department of French and Italian, Minneapolis, MN
M.A. French (1992)
Related Field: Art History

Université de Savoie, Chambéry, France
Maîtrise de Lettres Modernes: certificat en linguistique (French Master’s degree in linguistics) (1990)

University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN B.A. French, Minor: Linguistics (1988)

Published Works:

Minnesota Child Custody and Support Deskbook, "Interstate and International Jurisdiction and Custody Issues," Minnesota State Bar Association, September 2006, co-author Thomas W. Tuft.

“International Parental Child Abduction,” Bench & Bar, December 2004, Volume LXI Number XI, co-author Thomas W. Tuft.

“Interpreting and the Law,” Ramsey County Bar Association Barrister, February 2003, co-author Bruce T. Downing, Ph.D.

“International Custody Jurisdiction: The Hague Convention,” Minnesota State Bar Association Family Law Forum, Spring 2002, Volume 12, No. 3, co-author Thomas W. Tuft.

“Preventing Parental Kidnapping: Jurisdictional and Enforcement Issues,” Minnesota State Bar Association Family Law Forum, Spring 2002, Volume 12, No. 3, co-author Thomas W. Tuft.

“Determining Child Custody Across Jurisdictions,” Bench & Bar, December 1999, Volume LVI Number XI, co-author Thomas W. Tuft.

“Parental Kidnapping and Child Safety: Current Case Law Trends,” MILE Seminar, Bloomington, MN (April 1999), co-author Thomas W. Tuft.

Classes/Seminars Taught:

Seminar: Minnesota Child Custody and Support Deskbook, "Interstate and International Jurisdiction and Custody Issues," Minnesota CLE, to be presented September 18, 2006, co-author Thomas W. Tuft.

Teaching Specialist, University of Minnesota, Department of Translating and Interpreting, Minneapolis, MN (fall semesters 2001, 2003, 2005): TrIn 1301 "American Law for Interpreters." Topics covered included constitutional law, criminal law and procedure, civil procedure, contracts, personal injury law, family law and juvenile law.

Co-Lecturer, Ramsey County Bar Association Continuing Legal Education, Saint Paul, MN (January 2005): “Third-Party Custody and Visitation”

Lecturer, Lorman Education Services, Bloomington, MN (March 2001 & March 2002): “Custody Issues: An Overview of Child Custody Law in Minnesota”

Co-Lecturer, Ramsey County Bar Association Continuing Legal Education, Saint Paul, MN (September 2000): “Interstate Enforcement of Child Support and Child Custody Orders”

Lecturer, Lorman Education Services, Bloomington, MN (August 2000): “Children’s Records Law in Minnesota: Medical and Mental Health Records”

Lecturer, Ramsey County Bar Association Continuing Legal Education, Saint Paul, MN (April 2000): “Taming the Beast: The Uniform Child-Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act”

Lecturer, University of Minnesota, Institute of International Studies, Minneapolis, MN (spring trimester 1998): Area Studies 3920: "Topics in European Studies: An Introduction to Human Rights." Initiated students to the fundamentals of human rights law and explored the status of human rights in the United States, France and parts of francophone Africa.

Professional Associations and Memberships:

Minnesota State Bar Association

Ramsey County Bar Association

Minnesota Women Lawyers

Warren E. Burger Inn of Court

Co-Chair, Ramsey County Bar Association CLE Oversight Committee, St. Paul, MN (August 2002 - May 2006)

Honors and Awards: