Megan McKenna #034
In this episode, we speak with Megan Mckenna, a Criminal Lawyer who has only recently started her own practice.
Listen in as Megan shares her journey so far in the field of law and the realities of her career path, as well as common misconceptions that the general public has about the justice system.
Key Highlights
● [02:11] An introduction to Megan McKenna
● [04:58] Moving out of Shepparton to study
● [10:42] Working as a legal assistant while studying full-time
● [12:28] Megan’s responsibilities once she was admitted to practice and a typical day in the courtroom
● [14:47] Staying emotionally detached from the job while staying empathetic as a lawyer
● [17:47] Working on a case where the client has been wrongly convicted and negotiating better terms for somebody
● [26:25] Opportunities available to law graduates
● [28:24] Why Megan is starting her own practice
● [31:50] A primer on legal aid
● [35:35] Why it often takes so long for someone to show up to court
● [37:04] What Megan thinks of the new law court
● [38:14] Megan’s goals going forward
● [40:06] Is the amount of work a lawyer puts into their career generally worth it?
● [41:07] Who locally inspires Megan?
Powerful Quotes by Megan
● Shep’s got such a good community spirit and when you’ve got your friends and family around, it makes life a lot easier.
● The overriding rule as a lawyer is that your first duty is to the court. You can’t mislead the court irrespective of what your client is asking you to do. So, you have a duty to your client but that’s always overridden by your duty to the court.
● There’s so much misinformation out there. People just don’t understand the justice system at all.
● I’ve always said to myself that I wouldn’t be an employee for my whole life. I like my independence and I like being able to march to the beat of my own drum.