Alumni Spotlight: Megan Connolly, Attorney

Dec 1, 2016

Pushing Against the Image of Anti-plaintiff Legislation

Megan Connolly walked on to campus searching for a major and left in 2009 with a bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice, convinced that Xavier's Jesuit Catholic heritage brought out the best in both her spirit and her intellect.

Her chosen career as a personal injury attorney in Cleveland has meant pushing against the image of anti-plaintiff legislation. But she's always been up for a challenge.

"It's a very moving experience to meet a client who has suffered a tragic injury or who has lost a loved one through the negligence of someone else and then begin to advocate for them and do everything you can for a just result," she said. "I think the Jesuit mission absolutely lines up with those efforts."

Connolly knows she can't be of service to others without the skills to succeed as a lawyer.

"I think a lot of people would be surprised how much reading, writing and research we do," she said. "Good writing goes a long way. What most judges prefer now is to be concise, straightforward and to tell the truth. Plus the writing-intensive liberal arts education at Xavier gave me an advantage."