Haley Moss, a Parkland Native, who was admitted to the Florida bar last month, is the first person to practice law in the State of Florida, known to be openly autistic! Its one of the greatest Autism Success Stories of recent times.
When diagnosed at the age of 3, her parents had been told that she would be “lucky enough to get a driver’s license or make a friend!” She tweeted on 14th of January, jubilant, “21 years later, they watched me get sworn into The Florida Bar. #JourneyToEsquire complete ✅⚖”
This 24-year-old, who is on the Autism Spectrum, not only graduated from the University of Miami School of Law, she also works at a highly established law firm in Miami. She has written several books to help other individuals on the spectrum, which you can easily access in our Resources section!
During a chat with one of the News Channels, she admitted, “I am that first one that we know of, that’s open about it.” She suspects there may be several other individuals on the spectrum in her line of profession, who either are undiagnosed or have not yet opened up about their condition. She mentions that this could be due to either fear of facing discrimination or simply not feeling confident in speaking about it. “I have been working tirelessly to help change the conversation about autism,” Moss said, in the same interview.
She encouragingly addressed other autistic individuals and said, “My advice is to not set limits. Being different isn’t less. It isn’t bad. It’s just different, and different can be extraordinary.” She added, “There are plenty of things that are difficult for me, but I want you to see what I’m good at. The biggest misconception is to not see us, not just for disabilities. To see us for what we can do rather for what we can’t and, to see us for our strength rather than our weaknesses.”
She is now is now practicing Health and International Law at a prestigious law firm in Miami, and hopes her journey can show anyone living with autism, that it’s possible to achieve their goals. She even encouraged employers by saying, “I think it’s absolutely important to hire people on the autism spectrum. Many of us are unemployed or underemployed. Everybody has different gifts and talents, and it’s up to parents and people on the spectrum to explore and nurture those talents and gifts.”
Access the Books Published by Florida Attorney, Haley Moss Here:
“Middle School – The Stuff Nobody Tells You About: A Teenage Girl with ASD Shares Her Experiences”
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