The Long Process Of Leaving A Legal Career with Ed Cottrell

Lawyers are under constant stress and pressure yet always have a “this is fine” mentality. “Everything will be fine,” we keep telling ourselves. But, is it really fine? And, is “fine” good enough?  This week, you’ll read about Ed Cottrell, a former lawyer and most importantly, Sarah’s husband. Ed had a legal career for 13 years before leaving the law for a job in legal tech. You’ll notice the ever-present theme of “just fine” in Ed’s legal career journey.  During their conversation, Sarah and Ed spoke about the positives and negatives of his legal career, how his experience intersected with Sarah’s, and ultimately, how Former Lawyer came to be.  Sarah and Ed had so much to discuss that this article is divided into two parts. So, without further ado, let’s get into it! See show notes at formerlawyer.com/150I'm closing enrollment for my self-paced group program, the Former Lawyer Collaborative, permanently on August 31st, 2026. If you've been thinking about joining now is the time. Head to formerlawyer.com/collab to join before doors close on August 31st.