The Former Lawyer Podcast

Hard Things Feel Hard Because They Are Hard

2026 is kicking a lot of people's asses, including Sarah's. She gets into what the last few weeks have actually looked like, and shares the reminder she keeps coming back to. Hard things feel hard because they are hard. Not because you're doing anything wrong. She also talks about what Former Lawyer stands for, where your money goes if you work with her, and why she will probably never stop telling you to go to therapy.See show notes at formerlawyer.com/296

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

When lawyers look back at why they entered the profession, they often find the answer is less about a lifelong passion and more about a lack of other plans. Dan Branagan, a former bankruptcy associate turned data analyst, describes his journey into law as a classic example of the "conveyor belt" metaphor. As a liberal arts major with an interest in history and political science, law school seemed like the next logical step that promised both prestige and a high salary. It wasn't until he was working through the self-examination process in the Collab that he realized how passive he had been in his own career path.The disillusionment began during law school, where he first encountered the all-consuming culture of Biglaw. While his peers seemed 100% focused on their identity as attorneys, Dan realized early on that having a life outside of work was essential to his well-being. He found that the "gifted kid" track often conditions people to ignore their own needs in favor of high expectations, but he was never able to shake the feeling that something was internally off.See show notes at formerlawyer.com/248

How to Explore Your Career Options After Law with Patience and a Plan

When Sarah looks back at her time in practice, she can see a pattern that shows up for almost every lawyer who thinks about leaving the law. She would have a kernel of interest in a career path outside of the law, but her brain would immediately start telling her why it was a bad fit. It became an instant cycle of negativity.If you find yourself doing this, you are "lawyering yourself". You are taking an idea and prematurely deciding it is impossible before you have actually spent any time looking into it. You start worrying about finances, your perceived lack of skills, or what other people might think. Essentially, you are shutting down the process before it even begins.See show notes at formerlawyer.com/235

From Law School to Literary Agent with Lilly Ghahremani

Maybe you've thought about it. You love books, you love reading, and somewhere in the back of your mind, you've wondered if there's a way to turn that passion into a career that uses your legal skills without actually practicing law.Lilly Ghahremani knew on day one of law school that it wasn't the right fit. She called her mom from a pay phone and said she'd made a mistake. Her mom convinced her to finish the semester, then the year, then the whole degree. Lilly graduated from UCLA Law in 2002 and stumbled into a job with a small practitioner who worked in publishing. That random job listing became the foundation for a 20-plus year career as a literary agent.See show notes at formerlawyer.com/250

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

Former litigator David Sazant spent years bouncing between practice areas, convinced that if he just worked hard enough and found the right fit, everything would click into place. He moved from insurance defense to construction and commercial litigation, dealing with persistent imposter syndrome the entire time. But the problem wasn't the type of law he practiced—it was that litigation fundamentally contradicted his core values of authenticity and meaningful connection. In this conversation, David shares the moment he realized he needed to leave law entirely, how a single question from a career coach clarified his path forward, and what it was really like to go back to grad school to become a therapist. He also explains why understanding your values is critical for career satisfaction and how acting against those values can lead to anxiety, depression, and declining self-esteem.See show notes at formerlawyer.com/246