Reese Witherspoon in Legally Blonde. Photograph: five View image in fullscreen Reese Witherspoon in Legally Blonde. Photograph: five Film ‘I was like, “Oh my god, I can be taken seriously”’: the women inspired to become lawyers by Legally Blonde As the classic courtroom comedy drama turns 25 meet the associates and attorneys who took Elle Woods’ pioneering spirit and ran with it
Prefer the Guardian on Google ‘ My inner Elle Woods became the driving force behind everything’ Angela McCarthy, senior associate at Lawrence Stephens , London
View image in fullscreen ‘She makes everything seem possible’ … Angela McCarthy. Photograph: Courtesy Angela McCarthy Elle made being a lawyer look really glamorous and exciting. But what really drew me in was that she made it look like if you stay true to what you believe in and relied on your instinct, you could do anything. She stood up for what she believed in and came out at the top of her class. It was very empowering. She may have gone to law school for the wrong reasons, which was to pursue a man, but what she ended up coming out with was having a much better understanding of herself – she’d forged her own career.
The legal profession is such a competitive environment. You have to stand out from other people and you have to back yourself. Things are changing but it’s still very male dominated, especially at the top. When I’d come out of university and had my law degree under my belt, my inner Elle Woods became the driving force behind everything. I’ve been lucky in the sense that I am myself when I go into work, and the firm I work in knows I do a good job, so I don’t have to pretend to be anyone else..
I don’t think Elle is specific to just lawyers. She reminds everyone to be true to yourself and whatever you want to achieve. She makes everything seem possible.
Kathleen Martinez, Managing attorney specialising in immigration , Dallas-Fort Worth
View image in fullscreen ‘I had to create my own table instead of joining another one’ … Kathleen Martinez. Photograph: Courtesy Kathleen Martinez Ever since I was a little girl, I had always worn pink and been really girly. I stood out in every room I was in. When I watched Legally Blonde, I was like, “Oh my god, I can be taken seriously.” My grandfather was a lawyer and I was interested in possibly being a litigator when I grew up, but when I saw the movie, I knew I had to practice law.
Elle helped people, and she helps people by relating to her clients, specifically through being approachable.
It’s a profession full of gossip, the lawyer Facebook groups are the worst – they’re so toxic. I realised I was never going to get accepted anywhere. Like many women in the field, I had to create my own table instead of joining another one, so I started my own firm. My husband encouraged me to have a billboard of me all in pink. It worked because people could see it and relate to me, and they’d remember because of it. Now, everyone in my firm wears the colour. I love that people call me the real Elle Woods – it’s a badge I wear with honour, and it’s awesome marketing. It’s such a compliment.
Haley Moss, Licensed attorney and neurodiversity expert , Miami-Fort Lauderdale
View image in fullscreen ‘She knew what made her special and ran with it’ … Haley Moss. Photograph: Courtesy Haley Moss I think a lot about the scene where they’re in a circle at orientation. I felt just like her. I had a very non-traditional background: I was a psych major, an author and…