I’m pretty sure we can all agree that Legally Blonde is one of the greatest films of our time. It’s got everything: comedy, romance, drama, Jennifer Coolidge, perm maintenance, a cute little dog, and, of course, the bend and snap.
Well, Texas-based immigration attorney Kathleen Martinez is making waves on TikTok as the real-life Elle Woods, and I’m obsessed with her style and empowering message.
I first stumbled across Attorney Martinez (@attorneymartinez) when a video titled “Day in the Life of an Attorney: Elle Woods in Real Life” graced my For You Page with its presence. In the clip, which has been viewed over 4 million times, Attorney Martinez walks viewers through a day in her fabulous and pink life. We see her styling her hair, checking emails, picking out her pinkest suit for court, and adding some new Legally Blonde inspired art to her office.
I obviously had no choice but to go down an internet rabbithole watching all of her videos. I soon learned that Attorney Martinez actually started her own woman-powered law firm after a former male boss fired her, and her success in the face of sexism is my favorite flavor of revenge.
In a video, she writes, “My boss fired me from my first lawyer job for not ‘fitting in’ with the conservative culture and refusing to make him coffee. So I started my own firm, where we wear whatever we want and ran my old boss out of business.”
“Best part? He recently applied for a job at my firm. I told him we need some help making the girls coffee.” Big “what, like it’s hard?” energy here, and I need more of this in my life.
And in another clip, she shared a peek inside a Legally Blonde themed party she threw for her firm, complete with pink flowers, pink drinks, and Barbie themed menus that looks like an absolute dream.
Attorney Martinez told BuzzFeed that starting her own firm has been a truly empowering experience, and it means a lot to her to be able to lift up other women as well. “I didn’t expect to make such a big impact on other women. We have had thousands of female lawyers and legal professionals apply to work at our firm. They have also suffered from gender discrimination in the work place and want to embrace their femininity while practicing law.”
And she shared that she hasn’t always been this comfortable with bringing her fabulous style with her to work because of the kind of criticism women are often subject to based solely on how we look. “I have always dressed this way, however I suppressed my personal style as a young law student and lawyer. It wasn’t until I started my second year of practicing law that I stopped caring about others’ opinions.”
Attorney Martinez also has a message she wants to share with other women who are facing sexism at work. “There is a place for you,” she says. “If your employer cannot understand that women can be both smart and feminine, they are not worth your time or hard work. Like many women before me, I had to start my own firm to do so, but I don’t regret it in the least.”
Finally, she says that she gets inspiration from her immigrant clients every day as she works to help protect peoples’ rights and keep families together. She says, “I have found immigrants in particular to be kind, humble, and extremely appreciative. They work hard to earn their right to citizenship and I feel privileged to be a part of that.”
Source: https://www.buzzfeed.com/meganeliscomb/real-life-legally-blonde-tiktok