Do you hate working as a lawyer?

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.

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18 Nov

Escaping the Legal Grind to Build a Balanced Life with Dan Branagan [TFLP248]

On today’s podcast episode, Sarah chats with Dan Branagan. He is a member of the Collab and a former lawyer who now works as a data analyst. They discuss how his journey to escape the legal grind and his process of finding other roles that might work for him using the program’s framework. So, let’s dive in and learn about…

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11 Nov

How Toxic Workplaces Make You Doubt Yourself—And Why Leaving Law Can Help [TFLP247]

Becoming a lawyer is a giant accomplishment that requires a lot of hard work and brain power, yet many lawyers still experience feelings that they aren’t good enough or smart enough. Sarah discusses these feelings in the podcast episode today and why it’s a problem with the legal profession. If you’ve had these thoughts, you are not alone. So, let’s…

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4 Nov

How a Misalignment of Values and Career Helped a Lawyer Become a Therapist with David Sazant [TFLP246]

On this week’s podcast, Sarah chats with David Sazant, a former litigator who now works as a therapist. He’s based in Canada and specializes in working with men who struggle to feel aligned with their work. He offers an excellent perspective for anyone considering a career in therapy, and it’s a great conversation about value systems and how to determine…

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28 Oct

How Law Firms Mismanage Billable Hours and Create Anxiety for Associates [TFLP245]

On today’s podcast episode, Sarah discusses something that seems just plain ridiculous yet permeates so many law firms: the idea of billables and going out to get work. She has talked about her thoughts on how law firms mismanage billable hours before because they are often used to criticize associates. Law firms are constantly pushing associates to get more billable…

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14 Oct

Why Your Law Firm Isn’t a Meritocracy (And How It’s Holding You Back) [TFLP244]

Your law firm is probably not a meritocracy. There seems to be a sense in a law firm filled with responsible and high-functioning individuals that promotion decisions are based on objective criteria. That just isn’t true, so let’s dive in. Lawyers are Naturally High Performers Lawyers are typically responsible and committed to doing their best work. They consistently produce high-quality…

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30 Sep

It’s Not You, It’s Burnout: How Your Environment Has a Big Impact [TFLP243]

Today’s podcast episode is all about a topic that Sarah has found herself talking to her clients about often recently. When thinking about leaving law, many lawyers worry that they have these thoughts and feelings because they just don’t want to work. Nothing sounds appealing to them, and their current job is terrible for their mental health. If that sounds…

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