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Over the years, Legal Cheek has reported on dozens of ex-lawyers who have left the profession for something completely different -- heading into the arts, opening restaurants, moving into content creation and, in one case, becoming a clown?!
But this week, a story in The Times about former legal director Richard Wetherell leaving his career as a personal injury lawyer to become a lime plasterer got us thinking about why lawyers walk away from a profession that is so often associated with prestige, security and high salaries.
Legal Cheek’s Ryan Scott and Tom Connelly are back to discuss Wetherell’s unusual career change, alongside other examples of lawyers who have quit law to run an independent publishing house, set up their own bakeries, become classical painters and pivot into lawtech.
They also explore the bigger questions behind these career changes: why do some lawyers leave law after spending years trying to get in? Is it burnout, work-life balance, a lack of fulfilment, or the pull of doing something more creative and meaningful?
And, on the flip side, the pair consider why ex-lawyers are often well placed to succeed in other fields — from their work ethic and dedication to their ability to perform under pressure and win over clients.
Ultimately, this week’s episode asks whether leaving law should really be seen as walking away from success, or simply redefining what success looks like.
