Why do lawyers leave the practice? 15 Recovering Lawyers talk about the very moment they decided it was time to quit the law to live a happy life elsewhere

1. RECOVERING LAWYERS SPEAK OUT
LEAVING
THE LAW
BY MARJORIE FLORESTAL WWW.LAWYERSRETREAT.COM

2. FAMILY DISILLUSIONMENT LACK OF PASSION I'll Be Back ...
When we look into the
eyes of our loved ones,
leaving seems the only
right path
WHY LAWYERS
LEAVE
1 2 3 4
We came to make a
difference. But when
change does not come,
leaving
seems best
We came because we
thought there was
nothing else. But now
we know
better
We left, but the bar dues
are still all paid up. Who
knows what could
happen
someday?

3. WHY LAWYERS Leave
J. Kim Wright
Servant Leader
www.cuttingedgelaw.com
In my 2L year, I concluded
lawyers were jerks and I didn’t
ever want to be one. A few years
later, I met a lawyer who was
definitely not a jerk. He talked
about dignity, respect and civility,
and that caught my attention.
Twenty-five years later, I travel
around the world helping lawyers
see new possibilities.
I don’t practice much law, but
sometimes I wonder if I will
return to it again one day.

4. WHY LAWYERS Leave
Marie
Attorney
I haven’t left the law yet, but I
am sensing that is where I am
headed. What does it for me is
the fact that I have to pretend to
be interested in anything law
related,
Glenn Levine
Farmer
When I first went to Bulgaria, it
all seemed so romantic and
useful. But I knew I could turn
around at any moment. It wasn’t
until I was there for awhile that I
realized I couldn’t really return
to my law firm life.

5. WHY LAWYERS Leave
Cheryl Stephens
Entrepreneur
When the small blood vessels on
my abdomen started exploding
from the stress, I knew it was
time to leave the practice of law.
Clarissa Edwards
Entrepreneur
I knew it was time to leave when
the passion was gone. I also
finally came to terms with the
fact that I am an excellent
lawyer but I only went to law
school because my dad would
not let me become a singer.

6. WHY LAWYERS Leave
Amy Gutman
Writer
www.Planbnation.net
I never really decided to quit the
legal profession. I am not an ex-lawyer.
I am a non-practicing
lawyer —a lawyer on extended
hiatus while she writes books, op
eds, and speeches and works in
higher education.
Am I being silly? Is there really
any chance that I’ll ever return
to legal practice? Perhaps not
—but then, who knows?

7. WHY LAWYERS Leave
Alison Monahan
Entrepreneur
www.Girlsguidetolawschool.com
I’m not sure there was a single
moment when I decided to stop
practicing law. It was more of a
gradual series of events.
But the final straw was being
told I would have to spend most
of my time at trial after I had
already gotten a ski cabin share
for the winter. I decided I’d
rather go snowboarding.

8. WHY LAWYERS Leave
Kimberly Atkins
Journalist, Boston Herald
I wasn't enjoying the practice of
law. I learned that being a
litigator meant spending too
little time in court and too much
time haggling with nasty people.
I also loved and missed
journalism.
When I decided to move to New
York, I took the bar and also
applied to journalism school. I
was accepted to the J school. I
also passed the bar, but by then I
had already decided to go to J
School.

9. WHY LAWYERS Leave
Akilah Green
Comedy Writer
www.Akilahgreen.com
Swearing in day for the 113th
Congress is one of those days
lobbyists live for, but I had been
dreading it since I got out of bed
that morning. I had going-through-
the-motions sickness.
It’s not that I didn’t want to do it
anymore, I literally couldn’t.
So I packed up my things and
moved cross-country to the City
of Angels to become yet another
aspiring sitcom writer.

10. WHY LAWYERS Leave
Shannon Forchheimer
Blogger
www.ButIdohavealawdegree.com
While on maternity leave with
my second child, I wondered
whether I could return to the
firm.
One night, I found myself
staring into my son’s sleeping
face and knew the answer was
no. I wanted these kids all to
myself all the time.

11. WHY LAWYERS Leave
Liz Brown
Professor
www.Lizbrownjd.com
It took me awhile to realize that
I was no longer content, but
when I looked at my daughter’s
face I knew immediately that
my job was not worth being
away from her all the time no
matter how much it paid.
John Ragosta
Professor
I can remember walking home
at 2 am and feeling it in my
body that this was wearing me
out. It had reached the point
where it was affecting me
physically and psychologically.

12. WHY LAWYERS Leave
Stephen Lautens
Entrepreneur
www.Lautens.com
In my defense, I never really
intended to be a lawyer — I
thought it would be good
training for politics. But law has
a way of sucking you inexorably
into the conveyor belt of the
profession.
After 10 years as a sole
practitioner, I found it stale and
repetitive — occasionally
intellectually interesting, but a
terrible job.
An opportunity to go into
business presented itself and I’ve
never looked back.

13. WHY LAWYERS Leave
Ailsa Chang
Congressional Reporter, NPR
I felt being an attorney didn't
tap into the parts I liked most
about myself —my curiosity,
and the joy I get meeting all
kinds of people.
Tina Nelson
Entrepreneur
I was a happy lawyer, but with a
house full of toddlers and a
husband who was also a litigator,
it was impossible to juggle
everything and still give 100
percent at work.