“You can’t pull off that style of cross-examination. You’re not a man. You’re not white. And, I’ll say it, you’re too short.” Although that may not have been the exact quote, it certainly was the message delivered by a guest mock trial judge about me — a 5’3”, Asian female.
I am lucky, because that sentiment was not what I had heard 99 percent of my life. That’s not to say I was surrounded by those cheering me on to show the world what a short Asian woman can do. Instead, I was fortunate to have people who encouraged me simply because I am a person who tries hard.
Please don’t take that the wrong way — I don’t mean to say that I’m special. It’s the opposite. I am a normal person who has been surrounded by special people throughout my life. I was lucky enough to never feel like my gender, sexual orientation, race or height were obstacles I had to overcome. I felt that I could truly change the world, as my alma mater’s motto goes, if that’s what I wanted to do.
I also know that the only reason this is possible is because of all the people who came before me and the people who were and are in my life leading me to this moment. I am lucky that my family wasn’t a stereotypical Asian family making me feel “less than” simply for being a woman, though I was required to have a chaperone whenever I went out throughout high school.
I was both a ballerina in pointe shoes and a soccer player who loved to slide tackle; in leotards and tights one day and all bandaged up and bruised the next. The younger me always had a bit of chip on my shoulder and wanted to prove that I could not only do anything a boy could do, but I could do it better.
I was fortunate to spend my formative years in different parts of Asia. I was born in the Philippines but have spent time living in Hong Kong (during British rule), China and Singapore, enjoying a semester abroad in Italy, before moving to the United States when I was 20 years old. Along the way I met people of all walks of life, learning that we are all different and all the same.
I didn’t grow up with plans to be a lawyer. Partly because I moved around so much in my life, my life philosophy is to be open to change and to grab the opportunities that seem the best at the time. I worked in public relations for about four years before I realized I wanted a job with different challenges and committed myself to law school. Now here I am at a big law firm with an international presence where I’ve been developing a practice that is sometimes equal parts corporate and restructuring. I help my clients navigate stressful situations and try every day to live up to the nickname a former manager gave me, Megyver, by helping clients solve tough problems no matter the situation or seemingly long odds.
I am in a career dominated by men. While women may outnumber men in law school, the partner ranks continue to be lopsided. Although we are making progress, the late Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s goal of having nine female Supreme Court justices is far from being achieved. In all, I have found that by working hard and raising my hand, I’ve been rewarded with opportunities to hone my practice — from extensive client management to arguing in court. I have also been guided by thoughtful mentors, to whom I am forever grateful.
That’s not to say I haven’t experienced times when people have made me feel different and “less than.” I was appalled not only by the comments of the guest mock trial judge but also the lack of any pushback from the room full of people who heard his comments. There was an incident, during a mock trial competition, where a judge told me to ease up on my objections because I “looked like a bully.” I adjusted my style to try a lighter approach only to find out right before semifinals that the other two judges had named me the best advocate of that round.
Yes, I was devastated and engulfed by self-doubt when I was criticized in those moments, but looking back they did not define me or change me. It is because of the people that have been in my life that I knew that this kind of behavior simply should not be the norm.
I am who I am today because I was able to stand on the shoulders of giants. Not just the women who marched for women’s rights to vote and accomplished feats written in history books, but also the people who surround me every day. I am lucky that the people I have spent 99 percent of my life with have made sure that I know and value who I am — a woman, who is not white and is short.
Maegan Quejada is a Senior Managing Associate of Sidley Austin. She serves as Vice President – Communications & Publications on the State Bar of Texas Bankruptcy Law Section Council. Quejada is a double Longhorn who clerked for Judge Tony M. Davis in the Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Texas.