Engelmeier & Umanah PA

Sheila Engelmeier is an exceptional attorney, a true champion for justice, and an extraordinary human. Her fierce advocacy, strategic insights, and tenacity are matched only by her unwavering integrity, deep empathy, and genuine compassion. Sheila approaches her work and her clients with steadfast commitment and determination to ensure they are seen, heard, supported, and fully represented in bringing matters to a successful resolution. Every member of the E&U team - from administrative assistants to paralegals and associates - demonstrates consummate professionalism, kindness, and respect in every interaction. The dedication, moral clarity, and relentless advocacy at Engelmeier and Umanah is truly best-in-class. It is a team I wholeheartedly trust and would recommend without hesitation.

Based on the research I have gathered, I can add a section to your statement that provides context on the historical and contemporary use of denial or cancellation of service as a form of racial discrimination.

​Here is the full statement with the research included at the end:

​ The receptionist at Engelmeier and Umanah demonstrated a clear act of reverse racism. When I gave her my address, she was immediately argumentative and demanded to know the street or avenue, as well as the direction, even though I had already provided this information.
​I explained to both her and the second lady on the phone that I am hyper-logical autistic, and that illogical information does not register well with me. The second lady, who also said she understood my disability, kept saying "sir, sir, sir" in an attempt to shut me up and change the narrative. After I began recording the call, this person eventually hung up, saying my questions were rude, uncalled for, and disrespectful.

​The entire interaction was unprofessional and deeply troubling. I would not recommend this firm to anyone. A place where they claim to understand the disability but don't care for your disability is a huge problem. To call a hyper-logical person that asked a lot of questions rude is very disrespectful, not only to somebody that stated that they're hyper-logical and autistic, but also to somebody that is also African American, because it shows that they can obviously tell my race through my accent on the phone. A cancellation of service is also a form of racism that has always been used.

​Research

​The act of denying service based on race has a long and well-documented history in the United States. During the Jim Crow era, "denial of service" was a common tool of segregation, legally enforced by "separate but equal" laws that barred African Americans from entering white-only establishments, including restaurants, hotels, and businesses. Even after the Civil Rights Act of 1964 outlawed this practice, subtle forms of discrimination persisted.
​Today, while explicit denial of service is illegal, research from various fields demonstrates that implicit bias and unconscious discrimination can still lead to similar outcomes. Studies in sociology and consumer behavior have shown that people of color often receive less favorable service, are made to wait longer, or are subject to different treatment in commercial transactions. This can manifest as businesses and service providers "canceling service" or making it difficult to proceed with a transaction, effectively acting as a modern form of discrimination. Legal frameworks, such as Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, prohibit discrimination on the basis of race in programs and activities receiving federal financial assistance.

I had the opportunity to work with Sheila today & I can not even find the words to express how appreciative and thankful I am not only for her hard work in settling my case but, more importantly for how she made me feel. From the very beginning she told me “today is about you, it’s your day.” I had to hold myself back from getting emotional when she introduced herself and was able to show understanding & empathy by relating to my own situation. This entire process has been a hard exhausting almost 2 years and I was stressing over this day for a very long time .Thank you Sheila for making today possible , it wouldn’t have happened with out you. If I ever need representation in the future (hopefully not !) I wouldn’t go to anyone else she has a heart of gold. -AB