Precedent Setter Awards recognize U of T Law alumna, Janani Shanmuganathan (JD/MA 2011)

Meet the defence lawyer whose impact on current caselaw has been seismic

(Photo by Steph Martyniuk courtesy of Precedent Magazine)

The Precedent Setter Awards recognize Toronto lawyers who have shown excellence and leadership in their early years of practice. Precedent named U of T Law alumna, Janani Shanmuganathan (JD/MA 2011), a Precedent Setter for her impact on caselaw.

Janani celebrated her first major courtroom victory five years ago. She is now a partner at Goddard Nasseri LLP, working on trials, appeals and professional regulation.

From the Precedent profile:

"Behind her success, however, she has had to fight for her place in the courtroom. As a young petite, brown woman, she has been mistaken for a Tamil interpreter and a student. On social media and in the broader press, she has been vocal about these instances. That, in turn, has encouraged other lawyers to share similar experiences. 'Once people start talking, you realize it’s not a one-off thing,' she says. 'And it requires rectifying.'"

Read Janani's profile in the Summer 2020 issue of Precedent Magazine

Precedent Magazine profiles the next generation of lawyers, features their experiences and engages them on the topics they care about. The Precedent Setter Awards recognize Toronto lawyers called to the bar in the last 10 years who have shown excellence and leadership in their practice and their community.

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