Kelly MacGrady is an insurance defense attorney with the law firm of McConnaughhay, Duffy, Coonrod, Pope & Weaver. She joined the firm in August 2002.
WHAT IS HER
PRACTICE AREA?
“Most of my cases are wrongful death, catastrophic injury or product liability. I particularly like civil litigation because it involves research and creative thinking when writing briefs or making arguments. The investigation piece is like putting together a puzzle.”
WHAT IS THE
FIRM’S NICHE?
“The firm’s practice is primarily workers compensation. We’re growing very fast. Our Jacksonville branch opened a civil liability department. We now have four attorneys, three paralegals and four legal assistants [in her department]. We’ve almost outgrown our new office space.”
WHAT IS MOST CHALLENGING FOR HER?
“The practice is so much different from school. Law school doesn’t teach you how to manage people, deal with partners or balance billable hours with Bar activities.”
TO WHAT GROUPS
DOES SHE BELONG?
MacGrady is a member of the Jacksonville Bar Association, the Jacksonville Women Lawyers Association, the Florida Defense Lawyers Association and the Jacksonville Beaches Bar Association.
HOMETOWN
Tallahassee was her birthplace, but MacGrady grew up in upstate New York and West Connecticut. Her father is a Harvard graduate.
WHERE ELSE HAS
SHE PRACTICED?
“I worked at a firm in Singapore representing Chanel. They were suing people who were selling fake Chanel goods. They’re in jail now. It was so exciting. I knew then what I wanted to do.”
LAW SCHOOL
MacGrady graduated from Florida State University in April 2002. She has a bachelor’s degree in religion from Smith College in Massachusetts.
WHY MAJOR IN RELIGION?
“I started out in pre-med but I couldn’t stand the rote memorization that it required. Religion was one thing I couldn’t wrap my mind around. It was the most intellectually stimulating thing for me.”
GLOBE HOPPING
“I became interested in Eastern religion because I was raised Catholic. It was completely
foreign to me. My junior year
in college I was living with
an Indian family, taking classes with an Indian professor and traveling doing an independent study. My focus was on
Hinduism.” MacGrady continues to enjoy Indian and Thai food. Her favorite local restaurant is Old Siam. She also speaks conversational French and Danish.
WHY GO FROM
RELIGION TO LAW?
“Once upon a time, religion and law were the same. Church and state weren’t separated so much in society back when natural law was more popular. I considered a Ph.D. in religion but I figured law was more practical. In the two years I took off to think about it, I went to Japan to teach English.”
WILL SHE BE AN INSTRUCTOR AGAIN?
“I’m very content where I am, but I really enjoy teaching. I don’t know.”
HORSE SENSE
An unwavering animal
lover and activist, MacGrady relishes the opportunity to
rescue animals. She owns
two horses, a mother and daughter, that she maintains
at stables in Monticello, Fla.
Riding horses has been a passion since she was 14.
RESIDENCE
MacGrady lives in Jacksonville Beach.
WHAT BROUGHT HER TO JACKSONVILLE?
“I knew I wanted to practice in Florida for the beaches. I had moved my horses down here already so it was just a process of elimination.”
WHAT IS HER PET PEEVE?
“People who prejudge and disrespect others without reason.”
HER HERO?
“The Dalai Lama. He led in the face of horrendous things happening and still remained calm. I heard him speak about China’s genocide of his country [Tibet] without anger. He is a political leader who is not hateful.”
— by Monica Tsai