Janani Shanmuganathan (@janani_shanmuganathan) is a criminal defense lawyer who has appeared frequently at the Ontario Court of Appeal and has argued at the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court of Canada. She is a Partner at Goddard & Shanmuganathan LLP.
She joins Ara on this week’s episode of #TheTamilCreator to discuss participating as co-counsel for a landmark Supreme Court Case (R.v. Nur.), how the cool moments of law that are seen on TV are only 10% of what being a lawyer entails, starting a business with her husband and navigating a work-life balance with it, having taken on clients even if they’re not able to pay (Legal Aid Ontario), why she’d rather make a friend than try to network, her desire to be authentic, regretting rushing through life, and so much more.
Follow Janani:
– LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jshanmuganathan/)
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Timestamps
00:19 – Ara introduces this week’s guest, Janani Shanmuganathan
00:45 – What sparked her passion for law; an innate love for learning
01:58 – Never having second thoughts about her career choice
02:45 – Why Janani chose criminal defence; helping the underdog
03:35 – Misconceptions about being a lawyer; doubting herself
05:36 – Being introverted as a lawyer; the benefits of introversion in general
07:55 – The importance of research and organization as a lawyer
09:39 – Co-counselling a major case; Janani explains the importance and process
12:50 – Starting her own practice; figuring out how to work with her husband
15:44 – Building her clientele through referrals
16:36 – The benefit of working from home as a mother
18:25 – Determining if she wants to take on a new client; and Legal Aid Ontario
21:36 – Improving her skills/staying sharp; conferences, online resources, etc.
22:32 – Advice she would give young law students; and Ara’s insights
25:01 – Not liking the word networking; how she goes about relationship building
26:26 – A major learning lesson in Janani’s life; trying to work while pregnant
29:10 – Advice she would give her 16-year-old self; slow down
31:55 – Re-examining your childhood as a parent; This Is Us and our immigrant parents
35:38 – The personal legacy she wants to be remembered for by friends and family
36:06 – Creator Confessions
40:32 – The Wrap Up
Intro Music
Produced And Mixed By:
– The Tamil Creator
– Yanchan
Written By:
– Aravinthan Ehamparam
– Yanchan Rajmohan
