Ally W. Howell, J.D., LL.M.
Elmira, New York

I am a New Yorker, I am a lawyer, and I am transgendered. More specifically, I am a post-operative male-to-female transsexual.

I have had six law books published by the two major publishers, West and Lexis, of which five are still in print and I still update those. I have had several articles published in legal journals and professional publications and have two pending publication. I even have the extra law degree, the LL.M., a post-doctoral degree.

Before I transitioned from male to female, I had a successful legal career. I easily landed a job as Chief Legal Counsel in a government agency. I later started my own practice and ran a very successful small firm with another partner. I earned a very good income during that time. I have a knack for the law, especially for seeing strategic angles in the cases that others missed. We focused on bankruptcy, insurance law and personal injury. At that time, I was “experimenting” with my female identity by presenting some of the time as a woman in certain settings (not at work). Someone I knew found out about this and I was “outed” to the other partner of the firm. He broke away from the firm and we closed our practice. He decided that despite our success and great working relationship, he did not want to be my partner anymore.

Since transitioning to a woman, I have applied for over 300 jobs. I have been on numerous interviews, yet I have not found employment as a lawyer. I am very well-qualified for many of these positions, if not over-qualified. During interviews I always receive positive feedback from the interviewer regarding my application materials and my knowledge; but after speaking with the interviewer, I never hear back.

One time, I was called by a man in charge who said “you ranked number one among our applicants, so our local civil service law mandates that I offer you an interview, but it won’t do you any good. Do you want to interview any way?” That is the most overt discrimination that I have faced. Other times, I have been the highest ranked applicant and have later been informed that the position was being cancelled or that it would be re-advertised. One time I went to a scheduled interview at a school that had a few teaching positions available for legal courses, but when I arrived and told the woman at the front desk that I was there for the interview she looked at me and said in a standoffish and curt manner “We don’t have any such job.” The job was still posted in New York Dept. of Labor’s website a month later.

While in each instance, there may not be overt discrimination, I can read the signs and the trend is obvious. The interactions I have had and the fact that I still have not found employment as a lawyer or legally trained educator in New York State clearly indicate that I am being discriminated against because of my gender identity.

Right now I am working teaching online legal classes and working on finalizing my seventh book. I have given up on ever practicing in New York State.