Category: Work

If anything, my ability to break free from the lawyer stereotype was helpful. My distinctive appearance made it easy for clients to identify and find me. Some people came into my office and before agreeing to make an appointment asked the secretary,  “Is this the office of ‘the little lady lawyer’? and gestured with their hand at waist level to make absolutely sure their appointment was with me.

In court appearances, I needed to catch the Judge’s attention when my client’s case was called. In only my second court appearance, I nervously stood to indicate that I represented the defendant, but the Judge didn’t see me (my head was only level with the shoulders of other lawyers seated at the bar). I made the mistake of waiting for my client to make his way to the dock before speaking. The Judge erroneously concluded that my client was unrepresented and assigned my case to a public defense legal aid lawyer. I was mortified.

Later, people suggested that I should have stood on a chair, but I never stood on a chair to get attention before and I wasn’t about to begin in a courtroom. Instead I moved away from the lawyer’s table, stood in the aisle in the Judge’s line of sight, and shouted “May it please your Honor, I represent the defendant.” The Judge looked up quite startled, muttered an apology, and asked the clerk to call my client again.

I found that lawyers had just as many inhibitions in their dealings with me as other people. However, lawyers that discriminated were clearly disadvantaged. In discounting me as a serious opponent, I defeated their every unprepared argument.

Being a dwarf and a member of the “smallest minority” occasionally improved my effectiveness with clients. Many were themselves in minority groups being immigrants, alcoholics, solo parents or criminals. The fact that I belonged to a different minority was irrelevant. There was immediate empathy and recognition that we both had obstacles to face and overcome.

Often in my professional capacity, I advised people of the best approach to take in a situation. Many accepted my advice, because they realized I knew what it meant to face and overcome obstacles. I was living proof that you can make it even when the going is tough. After we talked, people were encouraged to attempt to put the pieces of their lives back together.

You may also want to read:

• Angela Muir Van Etten. “Lessons from my 40-year Law Career.” Blog post, October 10, 2022. https://angelamuirvanetten.com/lessons-from-my-40-year-law-career/
• Angela Muir Van Etten. “PASS ME YOUR SHOES: A Couple with Dwarfism Navigates Life’s Detours with Love and Faith.” Dwarfism Trilogy, Book II. https://angelamuirvanetten.com/pass-me-your-shoes/
• Angela Muir Van Etten. “ALWAYS AN ADVOCATE: Champions of Change for People with Dwarfism and Disabilities.” Dwarfism Trilogy, Book III. https://angelamuirvanetten.com/always-an-advocate/
• “5 Reasons to Hire People with Disabilities.” Disability Rights Florida Blog. https://disabilityrightsflorida.org/blog/entry/5_reasons_to_hire_people_with_disabilities

Undeterred by discriminatory barriers, I looked for employers focused on skills not appearances. To be sure I wasn’t screened out before a job interview, I gave no hint of my height when calling or submitting a resume. It wasn’t a matter of hiding my size, rather a question of timing. It’s easier to dispel preconceived notions face-to-face.

Although not all employers are open to persuasion as shown in one interview. The attorney leaned back into his leather chair, put his feet on the desk, and his only questions were unrelated to the job or my experience. Clearly he was not considering me for the position. With nothing to lose, I challenged him for the questions he didn’t ask. This startled him into a bolt upright position followed by one open-ended query. My answer did not dint his prejudice, but at least he learned his bigotry was exposed.

Several months after I began working for an employer obligated by federal law to provide reasonable accommodations, a kindergarten height toilet mysteriously appeared in the bathroom. I was transported into the fantasy land of Goldilocks and the Three Bears: one for papa bear (wheelchair height), one for mama bear (regular height), and one for baby bear (my height). I had to ask, “What does the company think I’ve been doing all this time when I needed to use the bathroom?” The incident sparked an addition to the employee policy manual: Always ask the person with a disability before making an accommodation!

October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month. The range of law jobs I engaged in during my 40-year law career demonstrates a few of the many directions a law degree can take:

• Barrister and solicitor in a legal aid court practice.
• Legal writer and project editor of disability civil rights and other law books for Thomson Reuters.
• Staff writer on religious liberty issues for the Christian Law Association.
• Advocacy Specialist and Coordinator for the Coalition for Independent Living Options.

My first thought of becoming a law correspondent for a media outlet never happened, but my interest in writing featured for the majority of my career. So don’t be afraid to pursue your passion and don’t succumb to the bigots who ignore your talent. This post includes excerpts from books I and II in my dwarfism memoir trilogy: Dwarfs Don’t Live in Doll Houses and PASS ME YOUR SHOES: A Couple with Dwarfism Navigates Life’s Detours with Love and Faith, https://angelamuirvanetten.com/books/.