What is Attorney in Heels? Glad you asked.
Attorney in Heels™ is a female-centered law practice in the areas of Business Counsel and Estate Planning.
How Attorney in Heels™ Was Born
When I first came up with the Idea of Attorney in Heels™ I was throwing around ideas in myhead of what kind of lawyer I wanted to be and how I could come up with a domain that reflected everything about who I am. “Awesome Lawyer” came to mind among others.
But somehow “Attorney in Heels ™” was what I kept coming back to and it stuck with me. So I looked it up lo and behold the domain was available. I decided to use it because, (1) I’ve always religiously worn heels, and (2) it encompassed the female empowerment side of me I had been wanting to scream out at the top of my lungs for many years.
And since now I was a lawyer who was going to start my very own practice, I could make my own rules and I didn’t have to consult with anyone as to how I needed to portray myself, how to dress, whether or not my heels were too high, or whether or not “Attorney in Heels” was “lawyerly enough.”
Immediately after running with my instincts, buying the domain, and pushing the brand little by little I got some feedback that it was “not professional enough,” and when I proceeded to take pictures to brand myself the initial general opinion was that I “seemed to be selling something else.”
I took the criticism to heart at first. I then realized I was going out of the norm, and sometimes that makes others uncomfortable, but it was still my firm, my branding, my rules. So here we are “Attorney in Heels ™” is in full effect.
And while some have commented “you now can only hire women, or those who wear high heels,” or “it’s not about what you wear but what you do and know” they have missed the point as to what “Attorney in Heels™” represents. So to clarify here we go:
What Attorney in Heels ™ Represents
I have embraced Attorney in Heels™ because it is an attitude of confidence. My heels give me the little boost I need to remind me I belong; that I can stand tall and proud in my own skin as who I am; as my whole self. Attorney in Heels™ is an inclusive attitude that we as females, or anyone who is underrepresented, have a right to carry. We can confidently walk our path (with our heels) without fear and really owning who we are. All while dismissing the fear of being perceived as “too feminine,” “too emotional,” or “too bitchy.”
This attitude signifies the confidence I embrace when I walk into rooms, board rooms, and courthouses. The Attorney in Heels ™ attitude is an attitude we should carry when we walk into a room and we are the only female or person of color there. The confidence we need to hold on to when we walk into a room and are instantly mistaken for the person who needs to be getting the coffee and donuts, and we need to assert who we are.
Most of my clients who have hired me are amazing, confident, empowering and inclusive individuals who know my heart and my “Attorney in Heels ™” attitude. They have entrusted me with guiding their families, counseling them on their businesses, etc. And who I am, my whole self, is part of why the they trust me to be their counsel. I am their Attorney in Heels™.
M. Viviana Oropeza, MBA, Esq.
