Episode 208 - Value your life outside of the law with Jason Munro.

In this week’s episode of the ‘Happy Lawyer Happy Life Podcast’ I had the pleasure of interviewing personal injury lawyer and weekend mountaineer Jason Monro.  Ok, so mountaineer might be a slight exaggeration but there is no doubt that Jason’s happiness in his day job as a lawyer is well connected to his love of hiking on the weekends.  It hasn’t always been that way and in this interview Jason shared with me how he has really shifted his focus to ensure that health is a a priority.

Jason has had a fascinating career- starting in the Army, then the Police and now of course as a lawyer.  Jason has spent most of his career as a personal injury lawyer and it is an area of the law that he is clearly passionate about and I suspect excels in.  Working for the successful national practice, Slater and Gordon, Jason shared with me the successful way his firm has navigated the challenges of the last 12 months and it was really interesting for me, the owner of a small firm, to understand the logistics of navigating a multi-office national practice through the restrictions imposed during this pandemic.

Jason is another great example of why there are so many different paths both into law and during our careers that lead to success.

In this interview, Jason and I also chatted about-

• If Jason was not a lawyer he would have been (and was) in the army reserves and a police officer.
• Born in Papua New Guinea, Jason moved to Brisbane when he was seven.
• After graduating high school and joining the Army Reserves, Jason moved to Cairns for his first year posting as a police officer.
• Jason  made a switch to study law during his posting as he found he really enjoyed working in police prosecution.
• After his studies at JCU, he started a 5 year articles at a law firm working between criminal law and personal injury law.
• The crossover between personal injury law and medicine and the level of knowledge needed to successfully advocate for clients.
• Jason loves the methodical nature of personal injury law and now works at the Northlakes Slater and Gordon branch.
• The working environment at Slater and Gordon and the changes he saw during the lockdowns of 2020.
• Jason is a trained mental health first aid officer and shares how he supports his staff.
• The efficiencies that have come from court phone and video appearances, as well as time saved in travel.
• Jason’s perspective on mental health in the legal profession, both during Covid and over the past years.
• Jason’s own mental health and wellbeing as a result of his lifestyle changes.
• The all-consuming nature of law and the impact of exercise and good health can have on our careers.
• Jason’s tips for managing the stresses of working as a lawyer.
• In Jason’s experience, there are so many different roads to law and the life experience we gain along the way are essential for connecting with clients.
• No learning is wasted – it is all essential to growth and passion.
• Jason’s tips for new lawyers coming into law-land.
• Jason’s happiness tip. 

Sit back and enjoy this interview with Jason Monro.