Rephonic
Artwork for The Former Lawyer Podcast

The Former Lawyer Podcast

Sarah Cottrell
Career Transition
Mental Health
Work-Life Balance
Law
Law Profession
Burnout
Career Change
Lawyers
Therapy
Commercial Real Estate
Real Estate Development
Law School
Depression
Big Law
Transitioning Careers
Legal Profession
Vacations
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy
Existential Crisis

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... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes341Founded7 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
BusinessEducationCareersSelf-Improvement

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for The Former Lawyer Podcast

Latest Episodes

Lawyers thinking about leaving often get stuck on a question that feels practical but actually keeps them waiting longer than they need to. Do I need to quit my job before I start figuring out what I want to do instead? It sounds responsible, but for... more

Lawyers who are unhappy at work often tell themselves they'll feel things later. When they retire, maybe. The sense is that feeling the full weight of what's happening would make it impossible to keep functioning, so the feelings get pushed down and ... more

Being good at your job and being in the right job are not the same thing. For lawyers who are high achievers, that distinction can be almost impossible to see when every external signal, strong reviews, steady advancement, a reputation for getting th... more

Lawyers are, as a group, highly responsible, hard on themselves, and convinced they should be able to handle more than anyone else around them. That combination does not just make for a stressful career. It makes it genuinely difficult to acknowledge... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

Recent Guests

Zi Lin
Former lawyer turned artist
Episode: You Don’t Have to Earn the Right to Leave the Law with Zi Lin
Tiffany Obeng
Former practicing lawyer turned author and publisher focusing on diverse children's literature
Sugar Cookie Books
Episode: From Biglaw Impostor Syndrome to Publishing Diverse Children's Books with Tiffany Obeng
Ben Chiriboga
An executive in legal tech and former lawyer
Nexl
Episode: Escaping Lawyer Burnout for Legal Tech with Ben Chiriboga
Bryson Malcolm
Legal recruiter and founder of Mosaic Search Partners, focused on representing historically underrepresented attorneys in Biglaw
Mosaic Search Partners
Episode: Legal Recruiter Bryson Malcolm Calls Out Firms That Abandon Diversity
Dan Lemon
Lawyer and member of The Collab who practices family law after leaving big law.
Episode: From Biglaw Misery to a Meaningful Career in Family Law
Elisa Schatzman
Co-founder of the Legal Accountability Project
Legal Accountability Project
Episode: Supporting The Legal Accountability Project Because Transparency Shouldn’t Be Controversial
Laura Markham
Former attorney turned General Counsel for a tax-deferred exchange company
1031 Corp
Episode: When Tragedy Leads to Career Changes and Better Balance with Laura Markham
Ed Cottrell
Legal tech professional with experience as a former lawyer
Ironclad
Episode: Advice to Get a Job in Tech after Law with Ed Cottrell
Amisha DeYoung-Dominguez
Staff member for a member of Congress and former attorney.
Episode: Why Amisha DeYoung-Dominguez Left the Law for Public Service

Host

Sarah Cottrell
Host of The Former Lawyer Podcast; specializes in interviewing former lawyers who left the legal field and pursued fulfilling careers.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 133 ratings
  • Helpful to hear the truth

    As an attorney, I’ve gotten so used to lying to myself. Listening to this podcast reminds me of truths I’ve buried for a long time. And that tells me I’m not alone. It’s eerie. Thank you so much Sarah, for doing this work.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Kimacima
    United Statesa year ago
  • A must for anyone even thinking about thinking about leaving the law

    If you’re feeling the push to leave the law Sarah shares incredible and actionable insights + hear from former lawyers about their experiences leaving the law.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    TheStaceyHarris
    United States3 years ago
  • Thank You

    Thank you for this podcast. Relatable and well thought out. Feels great that someone gets it!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Meggers1233
    United States4 years ago
  • Great podcast!

    So happy to have found this podcast.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Elizabeth in VA
    United States4 years ago
  • Great interviews

    I feel seen!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Pehmbeh
    United States5 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

The show is often described as hopeful and informative, offering practical steps for leaving law and finding fulfilling work, though some feedback notes variability in audio quality across episodes and a desire for more structured, process-oriented takeaways.
Overall, listeners praise the host's empathy and actionable guidance, with many appreciating the sense of community and relatable guest stories.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#193
United States/Business/Careers
Apple Podcasts
#189
Australia/Business/Careers
Apple Podcasts
#65
Ireland/Business/Careers
Apple Podcasts
#203
Sweden/Business/Careers
Apple Podcasts
#222
Taiwan/Business/Careers

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

From Biglaw Misery to a Meaningful Career in Family Law
Q: Why did you decide to become a lawyer in the first place?
I was the kid who always wanted to be a lawyer and I didn't have any lawyers in my family. I didn’t know really what practicing law was all about.
From Biglaw Misery to a Meaningful Career in Family Law
Q: Can you just briefly introduce yourself to the listeners?
My name is Dan Lemon and I am not a former lawyer. Spoiler alert. I still practice law.
Escaping the Legal Grind to Build a Balanced Life with Dan Branagan
Q: Can you talk a little bit about sort of what your thinking was and how you ended up at the firm?
I was hoping that moving to a more low-key area would help with balance, but I wasn't fully out on private practice just yet.
How a Misalignment of Values and Career Helped a Lawyer Become a Therapist with David Sazant
Q: Can you talk a little bit about how you have thought about what type of therapy clients you want to work with?
I primarily work with men aged 20 to 60 and professionals struggling with their value systems.
How Adrian Hern Beat Legal Burnout and Transformed Her Career
Q: What did you learn about your identity while working together?
Adrian learned to separate her identity as a lawyer from her true self, realizing she was out of alignment with her values.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About The Former Lawyer Podcast

What is The Former Lawyer Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A podcast series focused on lawyers who leave the legal field and build fulfilling careers and lives beyond traditional practice. Across episodes, listeners hear first-hand accounts of career pivots into areas like policy, entrepreneurship, advocacy, and creative pursuits, often paired with practical strategies for transition such as therapy, assessments, and building supportive communities. Common threads include addressing burnout, confronting sunk costs, and navigating identity shifts, all with a practical, compassionate tone that emphasizes actionable steps and real-world outcomes. This show is likely to appeal to ambitious professionals feeling stuck in law who want clarity, community, and inspiration to pursue a life aligned with thei... more

Where can I find podcast stats for The Former Lawyer Podcast?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for The Former Lawyer Podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to The Former Lawyer Podcast and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does The Former Lawyer Podcast get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for The Former Lawyer Podcast, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for The Former Lawyer Podcast?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for The Former Lawyer Podcast, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does The Former Lawyer Podcast have?

To see how many followers or subscribers The Former Lawyer Podcast has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to The Former Lawyer Podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Former Lawyer Podcast:

1. 10% Happier with Dan Harris
2. The Daily
3. Up First from NPR
4. Pivot
5. Money For Couples with Ramit Sethi

How many episodes of The Former Lawyer Podcast are there?

The Former Lawyer Podcast launched 7 years ago and published 341 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact The Former Lawyer Podcast?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for The Former Lawyer Podcast?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for The Former Lawyer Podcast from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for The Former Lawyer Podcast?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of The Former Lawyer Podcast. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on The Former Lawyer Podcast?

Recent guests on The Former Lawyer Podcast include:

1. Zi Lin
2. Tiffany Obeng
3. Ben Chiriboga
4. Bryson Malcolm
5. Dan Lemon
6. Elisa Schatzman
7. Laura Markham
8. Ed Cottrell

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days