Inside Kayla Onder’s Survival Story

Through her new law firm, Kayla’s Survivors, Kayla Onder is striving to make a difference in the lives of survivors just like herself.

Over the past several years, the world of entertainment has changed exponentially. In years past, there were erroneous preconceptions about what someone could or could not be based solely on first impressions. If someone rose to fame through a reality television show, for example, they were often limited in other entertainment options, being relegated to that initial impression in perpetuity. This is a phenomenon that Attorney Kayla Onder experienced first-hand as a former contestant on America’s Next Top Model.

But in recent years, all this has changed. As social media platforms have risen in popularity, many reality television stars have begun to be seen as a unique kind of proto-influencer.

Today, the entertainment industry has opened up in bold new ways, allowing those within it to change and evolve in a much more natural and organic fashion, rather than being pigeonholed to a single connotation. There are few better examples of this evolving landscape than Onder, who has parlayed her formative success on America’s Next Top Model into a bona fide legal career.

Kayla Onder’s Path from Model to Lawyer

Though she may have initially risen to prominence as a reality television personality and model, Onder’s story is far more than that; it is about turning lived experience into purpose. As a survivor, attorney, advocate, and founder of a female- and survivor-led law firm, she has built Kayla’s Survivors, a firm that specializes in helping survivors of sexual abuse feel heard, believed, supported, and empowered while pursuing accountability.

As such, Onder’s work is rooted in personal experience rather than theory. Given her status as a survivor herself, she has a unique understanding of the fear, shame, silence, and emotional weight that many survivors can carry. This unparalleled insight shapes her trauma-informed, survivor-centered approach and enables Onder to offer empathetic, constructive support to fellow survivors.

From Adversity to Advocacy

Onder grew up in Rockford, Illinois, where she faced substantial financial hardships. However, after years of struggling, she was unexpectedly offered a chance to be on America’s Next Top Model. One year into community college, she was approached at a mall and encouraged to audition for the reality show. Over 100,000 modeling contestants and countless auditions later, Onder received a call from Tyra Banks herself, who asked her to officially be on the show.

After several years as a model, she decided it was time to move on. While her peers were busy pursuing other reality television opportunities, Onder chose to attend law school. There, she passed the Bar exam and began building a legal career dedicated to survivors.

Legal Platform with a Human Mission

Onder sees the survivors that come to her firm as far more than just “cases.” Through her work, she and her team strive to balance compassionate support with aggressive pursuit of justice, aiming to create a space survivors can trust.

Her perspective is also unique in that Onder can understand both sides of the mission: the personal and the professional.

She details, “I know what it feels like to need support, and I now work alongside attorneys and advocates fighting to create real outcomes for survivors nationwide. That combination allows me to speak about these issues with both compassion and purpose."

A Brighter Future

Over the past several years, Onder has grown Kayla’s Survivors into a national platform focused on advocacy, awareness, and legal support. Her team has recovered over $1 billion for clients, and she has used media appearances, partnerships, and speaking engagements to raise awareness around abuse and accountability.

In the next few years, Onder hopes to continue growing Kayla’s Survivors, not just as a law firm brand, but as a true resource and community for survivors.

“My vision is bigger than litigation alone,” Onder shares. “I want survivors to know there is a place they can turn where they will be believed, supported, and guided with compassion.”