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.
Content warning: This post discusses suicidal ideation and mental health struggles. Dan Lemon always wanted to be a lawyer. Even in second grade, when other kids were dreaming about being firefighters or astronauts, Dan was already set on law. He had no lawyers in his family and no real understanding of what practicing law actually meant, just a persistent childhood…
Biglaw has a problem—and it’s not just long hours or impossible billing targets. It’s cowardice at the top. In many of the country’s most prestigious law firms, the real rot is a leadership culture that rewards silence, self-preservation, and going along to get along. Sarah Cottrell, host of The Former Lawyer Podcast, has been calling this out for years: Biglaw…
Most lawyers know the truth. The profession is full of unspoken power dynamics. And nowhere is that clearer than inside a courtroom, especially for young lawyers clerking for judges. In this episode of The Former Lawyer Podcast, Sarah shares why she donated to The Legal Accountability Project, a nonprofit co-founded by former podcast guest Aliza Shatzman. It’s an initiative aimed…
Reddit and Fishbowl might not seem like central characters in the story of leaving the law. But they’ve become unexpected mirrors for what’s broken inside the profession. In this episode of The Former Lawyer Podcast, Sarah Cottrell shares why she occasionally scrolls these platforms, what she sees when she does, and how even the “safe” spaces online often end up…
IFive years ago, Sarah Cottrell launched The Former Lawyer Collab to help lawyers who knew they wanted out of practicing law but had no idea what to do next. Since then, the program has grown tremendously, supporting over 350 lawyers in their journey toward a more fulfilling career and life. Five Years of The Former Lawyer Collab Sarah launched The…
In this episode, Sarah sits down with returning guest Annie Little, a lawyer-turned-career coach and now a certified ADHD coach. They explore how executive function works in the ADHD brain—particularly for lawyers—and why so many high-achieving professionals struggle silently with things like time, organization, and burnout without realizing what’s really going on. Annie shares insights from her coaching work through…
