How 'Legally Blonde' Inspired a Legion of Women Lawyers
Legally Blonde is much more than another rom-com. It's comedic tale of a blonde (read: dimwitted) student who succeeded in law despite the naysayers.
The movie's ultimate point is that you can succeed as a woman despite the 'odds' - be they hair colour or otherwise. And for Haley Moss, a US lawyer and the first autistic female attorney in Florida, she and others were encouraged to pursue their legal careers by the movie
Haley Moss wrote -
Like the women Witherspoon meets, I occasionally meet a colleague who sheepishly admits to going to law school because Legally Blonde inspired her. One of my lawyer friends even got a Chihuahua because she was inspired by Elle’s Chihuahua, Bruiser.
A search on social media shows a plethora of young women who relate to Elle, whether it’s that they thought law school or the LSAT were now doable after seeing the film, or were looking to her for fashion advice, or they used the film to prepare for law school. I remember joking with friends that Legally Blonde did not prepare us for how difficult law school is.
Still, Elle’s story isn’t that different from our own. A lot of professional women have been underestimated in life—after all, the profession still has rampant gender bias, and women still make up the minority of lawyers.
That moment when Warner said Elle wasn’t smart enough for law school was a catalyst in the movie (one often quoted on social media) and one of those experiences women lawyers can relate to: being seen as less competent, intelligent or being judged solely on appearances.
I’m one of those young lawyers and recent grads who loves Legally Blonde. I was my class commencement speaker like Elle was at the end of the movie. I tried my best to emulate her high pitched “We did it!” as a closing line and totally rocked a blush pink dress underneath my graduation robe.
I felt equally as powerful as she did when she walked out of the courtroom following a successful acquittal and smiled as big as she did when “Perfect Day” played once again after she tossed her cap in the air.
Source: ABA Journal
