One of the features of my blog is going to be sharing real life stories of autistic individuals who are out there showing the world what they have to offer. I am so excited today to feature the autistic lawyer and author of “Smelling the Taste of Sound" (a professional woman’s story of a late autism diagnosis). Her book can be purchased on Amazon. We’ve read it, and it is an awesome look at employment on the spectrum, filled with relatable frustrations and splashes of humor.

We posed a few pertinent questions and got some great in-depth answers. So grab your coffee and here we go!

What is the job of a solicitor?

In England and Wales, the job of a solicitor is similar to that of a lawyer or attorney in the USA. Solicitors provide legal advice to clients in their particular area of specialism. Some solicitors see clients and if the matter goes to court, they will attend court and represent their client. Some solicitors will not advocate in the courts and will instruct a specialist advocate called a barrister to act on behalf of their client and present their case. 

What qualities does an autistic person have that would make this a good fit?

Each autistic person is different in terms of their unique skill set and abilities, but I would say that from a personal perspective, my integrity, attention to detail, organisational skills and willingness to learn have all meant that I have been well-placed to serve the needs of clients. 

Legal work can at times be repetitive, but rather than being bored by this, I enjoyed the routine and predictability of aspects of the regularity of tasks.

When you’re running a large caseload with different cases at different stages of progression, it’s vital to be organised, because if not, court dates could be missed and a client’s case could be compromised. Being methodical and organised always ensured that I worked to the strict timetables of the court.

Sometimes, a legal task could necessitate my pouring over documents or evidence looking for one seemingly small detail. This might be something which could make a real difference to a client. I would enjoy being tasked with wadding through documents and my supervisors knew I’d be thorough.

I have worked with clients who themselves had additional needs, so I knew how important it was to adapt my written and verbal communication when engaging with them, such as when I took instructions from them. It was important to me that whatever case of theirs I was working on, they could engage with and understand the process to the best of their ability.

What are some of the challenges that an autistic individual might face in this career path?

For me, there are a number of challenges both specific to the legal profession and the workplace in general. 

People have a certain image of what they think a lawyer should look like, and in particular how they should dress. I have a lot of sensory issues which means that certain clothing is not an option for me. What’s more, I struggle with hypermobility and flat feet, which means I’m limited in terms of the shoes I can wear. These things are problematic when trying to ‘fit in’ and ‘look the part’. People can and do make judgments when it comes to physical appearance and presentation, and I had to strike a balance between looking presentable and not being too physically uncomfortable. That was difficult.

As with many professions, a legal career can be very stressful and your day can be subject to change at any given time. This unpredictability is often unavoidable. This can also be difficult for people like me who suffer from anxiety and work best in an environment where there’s routine, structure and sameness. I did develop coping strategies and a means of coping, but sometimes I struggled more than I gave the appearance of, because I’d spent so many years ‘masking’ and forcing myself to get on with it and be like everyone else.

Masking has played a big part in my professional life because I needed to minimise the features of my neurodivergence which made me stand out (and not in a good way). This was unhealthy and something which I knew I’d struggle to sustain long-term. 

Networking and social events can play a big part in any profession and at times, a legal career is no different. I found this aspect especially difficult. I resorted to masking on an epic scale but masking is not without negative consequences for many. I wrote in my book, “Masking is like holding your breath when you swim underwater. It serves a short-term purpose, but if you do it for any longer than a short period of time, it’s unsustainable and detrimental to your health.”*

Sometimes, especially when I’m undertaking a new type of work, I may need someone to take the time and either provide me with more information or explain things in a way that is accessible to me. Like many professions, legal practice is time pressured and sometimes people are either unable or unwilling to take the requisite time I have needed.

Being open about your neurodivergence is (in my experience), a double-edged sword. I found it helpful for people to know, so they could help me if I didn’t understand say perhaps an inference or nuance in somebody’s tone of voice. Or perhaps if I was blunt in one of my responses, people could recognise this and not just assume I’m rude or obnoxious. However, I think there can be a downside too. Some people can and have seriously underestimated my abilities. This has largely been based on their own misconceptions and ignorance about autism. This can be yet another unwarranted and significant hurdle to overcome when life can be difficult enough as it is!

What advice do you have for somebody on the spectrum that might be afraid to take steps towards employment?

There is no single piece of advice as there’s no ‘one size fits all’ approach. It very much depends upon the workplace, the industry and the difficulties a person may encounter. What’s more, laws differ from country to country and so I would be cautious in offering any advice which is too specific.

I often cite the shocking statistic that in the UK, only 29% of autistic adults are in any kind of employment.** This isn’t because less than one-third of us can or want to work. Some autistic adults may never work, but many can and want to, but need some things put in place.  Sometimes, the simplest and smallest things can make such a difference to an autistic person.

I would suggest that if somebody wants to work, they should think about the skills and possibly experience they have, and try and match it with something they would enjoy doing. The work could be voluntary or paid. 

They could ask to speak with someone who does the job they fancy or perhaps see if they can spend some time with that person in the workplace.

In England, there are laws which can assist disabled people and I would say that although an individual does not have to disclose their diagnosis here, there are protections in place which can be of assistance to them. 

If somebody chooses to disclose their autism diagnosis, I have found that it’s useful (for both my employer/manager and me) to make a list of things I might struggle with and suggestions of what we could put in place to assist with this. So for me, I always ask for clarity of language as I struggle with inference and indistinct language. I also like to be clear as to my manager’s expectations of me, for example, what they expect from a piece of work they have given me. I think this is important when it comes to expectation management of both myself and my employer.

I have heard about people using a ‘Buddy Scheme’. This is where an ‘Autism Ally’ teams up with an autistic person and can support them, or can be someone to go to, to ask for help.

I also have used a ‘Passport’ scheme. Working in a large organisation can mean a lot of managerial movement. This disruption can be really stressful for any employee (disabled or otherwise), but it’ll be particularly nerve-racking for somebody autistic. The Passport scheme was a document which set out (drafted by the employee if preferred) what challenges they may face and how best to support the individual. So, when a manager moves on, the new manager can at least have something to work with, which may help alleviate inevitable anxieties that the employee has.

I have also been part of a Disability Network in a large organisation where the leader of the network had regular meetings with senior management and could advocate on behalf of individuals with different types of disability. 

This is a huge topic and I have barely managed to scratch the surface, however, I hope that some of my suggestions may be of some use to some people.

*The Autistic Lawyer author of “Smelling the Taste of Sound” (A professional woman’s story of a late autism diagnosis). Paperback and eBook available on Amazon. Audiobook available on iTunes or Audible.

** The Office For National Statistics

DISCLAIMER: Please note that the above information is based on my personal experience. I am a lawyer but I am not acting on behalf of anybody or organisation. I am simply sharing my understanding of the challenges of the workplace and how I have managed them or benefited from systems in place. Nothing I have written can be constituted as legal advice in any jurisdiction. 

At Autism Insights Foundation, we are committed to increasing employment opportunities for neurodiverse individuals. To this end, we provide corporate training and fund impactful scientific research to advance this cause. We are grateful to the autistic lawyer for sharing her story and helping spread the word.

If you would like to be part of our blog, either by being a guest blogger or through an interview process, please reach out and we will work together on this important mission of bringing autism acceptance into the workplace.