The Former Lawyer Podcast
Do you hate working as a lawyer? Are you an unhappy lawyer who wants to leave the law, but isn't sure what to do next? Do your family and friends think you're crazy for wanting to leave the law, or are you too afraid to tell them you don't want to be a lawyer? The Former Lawyer Podcast is for you! Each week, host Sarah Cottrell interviews a different former lawyer who has left the law behind. Hear inspiring stories about how these former lawyers are thriving and found their way to careers and lives they love.
Episodes
326 episodes
The Best First Step When You're Not Ready to Leave Law Yet
Maybe you're thinking about leaving the law, but you aren't quite sure you're ready to start working through the process. You're thinking, "I really think this isn't for me, I definitely want to get out eventually, but maybe not at this exact m...
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Episode 293
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8:23
Why Community Support Matters When You're Leaving the Law
When lawyers start thinking about leaving, they focus on the practical steps. What career should I pursue? How do I update my resume? What skills do I need? Those things matter, but Sarah consistently hears from lawyers that they underestimated...
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Episode 292
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6:44
The One Decision Unhappy Lawyers Must Make Before Changing Careers
Most people who are thinking about leaving the law spend a long time in a familiar place. They know their job feels awful, they say it to themselves and to other people, and they imagine how much better things could be somewhere else. ...
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Episode 291
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9:26
When “I Invested Too Much to Leave the Law” Becomes the Reason You Stay Stuck
There comes a point where the math you’ve been doing in your head stops adding up. You spent years in school. You passed the bar. You took on the loans. You built the career you were told would make it all worth it. Now you’re tired, anxious, o...
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10:58
You Don’t Have to Earn the Right to Leave the Law with Zi Lin
Zi Lin did everything “right.” Philosophy major, law school, great grades, OCI, Biglaw offer, six-figure salary. From the outside, the path looked impressive. From the inside, it felt like being processed through a conveyor belt. No one asked w...
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Episode 290
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50:27
How Scarcity Keeps Lawyers in Jobs They Don’t Want
A lot of lawyers assume that making more money will make leaving easier. In reality, the opposite often happens. Once you are in a high-paying legal job, it can feel like there is no other path that will work. People outside the profession are ...
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Episode 289
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9:33
Your Burnout Started Long Before Your First Legal Job
A lot of lawyers believe they shouldn’t feel burned out because they haven’t been practicing very long. But burnout isn’t measured by years in the profession. For many lawyers, it started long before their first legal job. Sarah hea...
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Episode 288
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7:46
The Mistake Lawyers Make When They Want to Leave the Law
For years, the idea of leaving the law can sit quietly in the back of your mind. You tell yourself you’ll figure it out eventually, that one day you’ll know it’s time. But months turn into years, and the only thing that changes is how tired you...
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Episode 287
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8:47
Why You Feel Like You Can Never Turn Your Brain Off as a Lawyer
Lawyers often describe feeling like they can never fully turn their brains off. Even during downtime, there’s a sense of waiting for the next email, the next call, or the next fire to put out. It’s not simply overthinking. It’s the body staying...
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Episode 286
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14:13
What to Expect in Your First Year After Leaving the Law
The first year after leaving law is a strange mix of freedom and fatigue. There is relief in stepping away from billable hours, but the exhaustion runs deeper than expected. Sarah Cottrell hears it constantly from clients. They imagined a clean...
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Episode 285
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15:00
How to Break the Outrage-Complacency Cycle and Finally Leave Law
Ever feel trapped in the cycle where one week you swear you have to get out of law, and the next you convince yourself it isn’t so bad? That back-and-forth isn’t clarity, it’s burnout and fear of judgment keeping you stuck. In this ...
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Episode 284
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15:30
It’s Okay to Care What People Think and Still Leave Law
Many lawyers, when they stop and reflect, realize that one of the reasons they went to law school was to impress other people. Prestige mattered. But the moment they name it, the shame sets in — “That was a bad reason. I shouldn’t care what...
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Episode 283
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12:09
The Former Lawyer Framework 2.0: Streamlining Your Exit Strategy
The Former Lawyer framework has recently received a glow-up, and this podcast episode covers all the fun updates. Sarah has a few things that stuck out to her and would be the most helpful to anyone considering becoming a former lawyer. She cov...
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15:15
Why Talk Therapy Stops Working for Burned-Out Lawyers
You’ve been in therapy. You’ve talked through your career. You understand, logically, that your boss’s mood isn’t your responsibility, that your worth isn’t measured by productivity, and that burnout doesn’t mean you’re broken. And yet… you’re ...
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Episode 282
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14:07
Nothing is Worth Sacrificing Yourself - A Reminder for All Lawyers
Today’s podcast episode is an important reminder every lawyer needs to hear. Sarah reminds listeners that nothing about your job is as important as you and your emotional, mental, and physical health. For lawyers, it’s easy to feel their value ...
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6:41
It’s Not Too Late to Leave the Law in 2025
2025 is more than halfway through, and if you told yourself this was the year you’d leave practice, this is your check-in. September is basically here, which means four months left in the year. That’s still plenty of time to make progress. And ...
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Episode 281
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6:26
Is the Grass Greener When You Leave the Law? (What Former Lawyers Say)
The question comes up constantly - in podcast interviews, on Collab group calls, and in emails from listeners. "What if the grass isn't greener on the other side?"It's tied to this idea that maybe being miserable at work is just what it ...
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Episode 280
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7:21
The Partner Who Makes Everyone Quit Isn't Your Problem to Fix
There's a partner at your firm. Everyone knows about them. Multiple people have quit working for them. Multiple people have gone out on mental health leave. When people talk about this partner, they use phrases like "difficult" or "has sharp el...
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Episode 279
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8:58
Know It’s the Right Time to Leave the Law with Two Questions
In today’s podcast, Sarah discusses how to know when it’s the right time to leave law. Many people listening are grappling with this question, and often, when they ask it, they are looking for an external answer. There is no external answer. Yo...
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8:14
Lawyers Hoping To Be Hit By A Bus Isn't Normal, but Not Uncommon Either with Kelcey Baker
You're exhausted from work and catch yourself thinking, "I wish I could get hit by a bus just a little bit so I could finally get a break." If that sounds familiar, you're not alone - and it's definitely not normal.This disturbing though...
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40:06
From Biglaw Impostor Syndrome to Publishing Diverse Children's Books with Tiffany Obeng
You're successful on paper but can't shake the feeling you haven't really "made it" without a prestigious law firm on your resume. Tiffany Obeng lived with that impostor syndrome for over a decade before finally getting her shot at Biglaw in 20...
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Episode 278
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56:11
Escaping Lawyer Burnout for Legal Tech with Ben Chiriboga
You're a lawyer who's good at your job but something feels off. You're performing well, making good money, checking all the boxes that are supposed to matter. But there's a growing disconnect between who you are and what you're doing every day....
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Episode 277
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50:18
Why Lawyers Stay Stuck After Taking Career Assessments
You've taken CliftonStrengths. You've done the MBTI. Maybe you've worked through a few other career assessments too. You have pages of results ab...
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Episode 276
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11:32
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Legal Recruiter Bryson Malcolm Calls Out Firms That Abandon Diversity
You've probably seen the headlines about major law firms pulling out of diversity programs and capitulating to executive orders. Sarah has been calling out these decision...
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Episode 275
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50:30
Lawyer Burnout Is Valid Even If You Don't Have Kids
Experiencing lawyer burnout but telling yourself you shouldn't be struggling because you don't have kids or a partner? You're not alone. Many single and childless lawyers dismiss their burnout because they think others have it harder. ...
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Episode 274
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17:25
