For recently warranted lawyer Christian Camilleri, practising law is more than a job – it’s a way to fight prejudice and discrimination against people like himself.
Born with cerebral palsy, an incurable condition affecting movement and posture, Camilleri sees law as a way to make a difference in the lives of others, a belief inspired by his own experience.
“Unfortunately, I have met some episodes of discrimination, so I always wanted to do something about it. And I felt that the best way to do that was ultimately to become a lawyer, because that way you can help to change laws and influence the change you really want to see,” he said.
“I want to help other people who are going through the same situation and make it easier for them than it was for me – I encounter certain obstacles up to this day, but I hope that with my help others will not.”
Explaining that he had dealt with prejudice from a young age, Camilleri said his parents had faced pressure to take him out of mainstream schooling and into a resource centre.
“My parents thought that I could reach the same academic levels as non PWDs [persons with disabilities] and they fought for me because they believed I could achieve what I wanted to in that environment,” he said.
But not everybody agreed it was the right place for him. “There were certain staff who were not very cooperative with my parents, while there were others who refused,” he said.
They were in the minority however, with most staff being helpful and supporting his parents’ efforts to keep their son in regular schooling.
“We’re talking about the 1990s, when ideas about disability were very different to what they are today. Back then, the attitude was that those with disabilities didn’t have to work.” Fast-forward to today and things are very different – including for Camilleri.
I encounter certain obstacles up to this day, but I hope that with my help others will not
Last month, he was one of 12 law graduates to receive their warrant to work in the legal profession, a moment vindicating his parents’ early struggle and one he describes as “liberating”.
But getting to where he is today wasn’t an easy path. Because while inspiring him to acquire the tools he believed he needed to fight discrimination, Camilleri admits the experiences also chipped away at his self-esteem. And for a while, he almost gave up on his childhood dream entirely.
“I felt that I did not have the capability to speak in public, for example, which is something that a lawyer needs.”
So instead of law, he embarked on a teacher training course, achieving a bachelor’s degree in education from the University of Malta in 2012. His career in teaching was to be short-lived, however. Faced with difficulties finding employment after graduation and feeling “like something was missing”, he decided to re-enrol at the university, this time to study law like he always dreamt of.
And after almost a decade of studying – including taking several years out to work for the Commission for the Rights of Persons with Disability (CRPD) – Camilleri has finally achieved his childhood dream and is now a fully qualified lawyer.
The 34-year-old lives independently in Mellieħa with the help of a full-time carer and works as a lawyer for the Malta Competition and Consumer Affairs Authority (MCCAA).
Studying with a disability
Camilleri explained how studying for his master’s degree in law wasn’t easy – even aside from the challenges of a course renowned for its difficulty.
“It was an extremely big challenge. I cannot even explain in words.”
While long nights of studying are common for students, for Camilleri it was a necessity as he fought both academic and physical challenges, “because when you have a disability, your body is fighting against you.”
According to the US National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, people with cerebral palsy are estimated to use up to five times the energy as able-bodied people when moving.
While for his peers the average assignment might have taken them one month to complete, the same assignment would often take him double the time.
However, he didn’t let that stop him. Throughout his studies he only asked for extra time once ‒ for his particularly long thesis.
“I had to reach the same deadlines, so it was extremely hard, and at the time I didn’t have an assistant to help me type,” he said. The physical impairment affecting Camilleri’s hands makes typing both more difficult and more time-consuming. But he saw it not only as a point of pride not to ask for additional time for assignments, but also as a career reality.
“When I’m starting my career, there will be no extensions, there will be no people doing me favours just because I have a disability; if there’s a deadline in court, I have to reach it to make sure I give the best service to my clients.” Camilleri is planning to specialise in commercial and civil law and has an interest in human rights cases – and not just for those living with disabilities. He is interested in helping all those facing discrimination, whether because of their race, nationality or sexual orientation.
He recently started an online group called ‘Achieving Independence’. The group helps connect those with intellectual and developmental disabilities, seniors or their relatives with carers, drivers, gym instructors and other professionals.
“What we’re trying to do is cut out the middleman and avoid agents – who have their own fees – so people with disabilities can employ them on their own terms,” he said.
Improvements
Christian would like to see the government intervene to keep mobility equipment more affordable.Another thing the lawyer would like to see is a more “regularised market” for mobility equipment.
While Camilleri received financial assistance from the government to help him purchase his mobility chair, he stressed the cost was still significant, creating an additional barrier for those with disabilities and for whom such equipment isn’t a choice.
“It’s a make-or-break thing; you can’t live without the wheelchair – when you’re in my condition, you have to have it,” he said, adding the same was true for adaptable vehicles, that are set up to assist wheelchair users entering and exiting the vehicle.
And this is something Camilleri thinks could be improved. Pointing to the assistance offered to businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic and the government’s recent Stabiltà initiative, he thinks there are plenty of examples of government intervention and wants to see it act to prevent sellers from charging “exorbitant prices” for such equipment.
“I hope these things will change, because this [disability equipment] isn’t a luxury you can live without.”
Camilleri would also like to see reduced bureaucracy for those employing carers, which he likened to running a business as one has to take care of taxation and national insurance contributions.
And he thinks carers working on a one-to-one basis with PWDs should be tax-exempt, stressing they are “not people we employ so we can make some kind of profit.”
But with two degrees already under his belt, where does he find the energy to keep pushing himself?
“I don’t dwell on my limitations ‒ I like to focus more on what I can do, than what I cannot do, and these projects help me do that.
“And I don’t see myself stopping here; I have many more plans. I hope to have the energy and the strength to achieve much more.”