Hendrix a family law trendsetter

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Megann Hendrix is the youngest person ever to serve on the board of the Collaborative Family Law Council of Wisconsin and one of the youngest to serve on the board of directors for the State Bar of Wisconsin Family Law Section.

All this should come as no surprise — Hendrix started her legal career long before she began at Walny Legal Group.

“In high school I decided I wanted to be a lawyer,” she said. “My stepdad and I were talking one night at dinner. He said he could see me being a lawyer, and that stuck in my mind.”

She began reading books about the legal field and looking for schools with prelaw scholar programs, eventually heading to Saint Louis University before earning her J.D. from Marquette University Law School. Her family law practice concentrates largely on mediation and collaborative law, but she also provides estate planning and elder-law services.

The 31-year-old sits on numerous committees. She has also headed or overseen initiatives aimed at taking family law from being what is often a contested, litigated process and turning it into something aimed at protecting children.

“We want there to be as little damage to families as possible,” she said. “It’s totally different than the traditional mentality.”

Under her leadership, the CFLCW’s Public Education Committee started a program aimed at informing the public about collaborative divorces. That work earned the committee an Outstanding Performance and Dedication award from the CFLCW and brought Hendrix the Dolphin Award, which recognized her dedication to the organization.

Receiving the award, she said, is one of her greatest accomplishments.

Hendrix has helped influence a number of bills and laws related to family law.

After only six years in the legal field, she is already seen as an expert in fields such as Medicaid planning, according to Eido Walny, owner of Walny Legal Group.

“Becoming so well versed in this complex and ever-changing area of law in such a short amount of time is a great accomplishment,” Walny said.

Hendrix said she is moved by an internal drive that her mom instilled in her when she was young.

“She’s always been a hard worker, and she’s always been really involved,” Hendrix said. “I think as a kid I learned from her and learned that’s what you do. You find what you’re passionate about and you try to make a difference; you get involved and you try to get things done.”