The former Xavier High School student, North Albury Football Club player and Howlong local thought he would finish his degree in law and sports media and pursue a career in Melbourne.

Which he did, up until earlier this month when a focus on work-life balance shifted his mindset and a drive to start his own legal firm "back at home" became a reality.

"You forget how great life is back in the country," he told The Border Mail.

"And that was really what it came down to for me, having that balance to have a life outside of work.

"I am back playing footy out at Howlong and that isn't something I could have done down in Melbourne, I just didn't have the time."

Mr Keenes completed a bachelor of law and sports media in Canberra before deciding his "love of helping people" would be best served in the legal profession.

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"I grew up loving sport and just thought how good of a life it would be travelling the world writing about it," he said.

"But when it came down to it I think law I could help people more and that is what I decided to do."

Mr Keenes was admitted to the Supreme Court of Victoria in 2015 and got his start with Rod Ambrose in Rutherglen.

"I was there for a couple of years and really enjoyed that experience, you get a lot of exposure at a country firm to a lot of matters and without that experience as a youngster I don't think I would be able to open my own firm," Mr Keenes said.

From there he started a boutique commercial law firm in Melbourne but admits after a few years "home was calling".

"I do love the country lifestyle and people here are friendly and approachable," he said.

A "gap in the market" also helped Mr Keenes open his firm which offers a range of legal services including criminal, business and commercial and family.

"There isn't really a market here for fixed fee legal service and I just saw that as a great opportunity to provide a certainty to my clients here in Albury-Wodonga," he said.

Mr Keenes said he is looking forward to growing his firm in the future but aims to just enjoy meeting new clients, and winning some footy matches along the way.