EP #112: Janani Shanmuganathan - Criminal Defense Lawyer On Following Her Calling & Being A Role Model To Future Lawyers

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/)

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