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Learning to listen differently: my experience with APD

Alex, an IP lawyer, shares what it’s like to live and work with Auditory Processing Disorder (APD) and how it affects communication in the legal sector. They also offer simple tips to support colleagues with APD and help create more inclusive workplaces.

Alex‘s story

I am an Intellectual Property lawyer who has worked in-house and in international law firms for more than two decades.

One year ago, I was diagnosed with Auditory Processing Disorder (APD). APD has been a revelation.

What is APD?

APD qualifies as a hearing disorder by the WHO, but interestingly, it does not affect hearing as such. Indeed, I have always been known as the one who has such good hearing that I can literally hear pins drop.

Instead, APD affects how the brain processes sound and explains, for example, why I have always struggled to understand what people say when there is background noise.

Specialist audiology testing is needed for a diagnosis, and so APD is not well known, but it is far from rare. APD is estimated to affect

APD is often found to co-occur with dyslexia, ADHD, and autism.

How does APD affect me?

I always wondered why I found understanding people in situations with background noise more difficult than others, why I preferred to sit at the front when everyone else wanted to be at the back. I couldn’t figure out why I knew exactly that I heard what was said but then – so frustrating! – there were words I knew I heard that had suddenly dropped out of my head.

APD is not a learning disorder and it does not affect intelligence, but it can take longer for the brain to process what is heard, and so if

Challenges lead to creativity, and once I knew about APD, I found out just how many ‘survival techniques‘ I have that I didn‘t even know about.

APD and (legal) communication

Communication is important in all aspects of life, but even more so in the legal environment.  My work is highly international, often across different languages and cultures, and good communication is crucial.

I found that my ‘survival techniques‘ are actually the foundation of good legal practice: ensuring that there is a common understanding, summarising conversations, and whenever wording or detail is important, I will confirm what has been said in writing.

In particular, during the pandemic when communication moved online, I found that I was often aware of communication challenges other people did not pick up on and I was quick to develop new communication strategies.

I have always been interested in technology and how technology can help better communication. Over the years, I have participated in innumerable university studies to find out more about how my brain works, as well as pilot projects relating to IT, legal tech, document automation, and more recently AI. Many programmes now have accessibility features. At its most basic, I use:

Being aware of communication challenges can be a huge advantage. Words are only a small element of conversation and people with APD often excel at picking up on tone of voice and other non-verbal communication. Heightened awareness of communication challenges can actually make people with APD good listeners!

But I also use a wide variety of visual cues such as lip reading, facial expressions, and other non-verbal behaviour.

No surprise I am attracted to the world of IP with its trademarks, logos, designs as means of communication across languages and cultures.

What might help a colleague with APD?

Crucial: ask the person with APD what would help them most – each person with APD has their own experience of APD and how APD affects them.

The following is also general good practice, and it will help those communicating in a foreign language:

Information on how to manage APD and support someone with APD is available on the University of Oxford website.

What does APD mean for the Christmas/festive period?

Festive periods tend to be times of year when people with APD may struggle most, caught between wanting or being expected to join in with festive activities and celebrations, and the reality that noise levels – especially indoors – can become unusually high.

Don’t assume that a colleague who prefers not to attend a Christmas party or networking event is anti-social. Some people may want to attend a Christmas party but will struggle to understand a single word and need days to recuperate. And yes, they may feel left out and maybe lonely, but they might also be simply honest and decide that not attending the Christmas party is what is best for them.

Consider offering an additional alternative option for a Christmas/festive activity (eg Secret Santa?), so that those who are not attending the Christmas Party can feel included, too.

Many people struggle with communication, whether they have a hearing disorder or not. We can all benefit from clearer communication.

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