From Biglaw to Director of The Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice with Heidi Mueller

The Former Lawyer Podcast

The Former Lawyer Podcast
From Biglaw to Director of The Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice with Heidi Mueller
Sep 09, 2019 Episode 5
Sarah Cottrell

On today’s show, Sarah talks with Heidi Mueller. Heidi is a former lawyer who is now the Director of the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice. 

In this conversation, Heidi shares about:

  • Why she had an inkling that she might want to leave law firm life even before she started;
  • How she struggled with guilt over the fact that she didn’t like working as a big firm lawyer;
  • The article she read that affirmed her decision to leave;
  • Why she freaked out just as she was leaving her firm, even though she knew she wanted to leave;
  • How she got hired for multiple jobs after leaving the law firm without ever again applying for a job;
  • How a complete stranger was the person who seemed most disturbed by her choice to leave law practice;
  • Why therapy can be so helpful when you are making a decision about leaving the law;
  • How you can get more involved in juvenile justice work if you’re interested;
  • and much more!

Take the guesswork out of your first steps to leaving the law by grabbing Sarah’s free guide at formerlawyer.com/guide!

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