Former Democratic presidential candidate and North Carolina Senator John Edwards is planning to open his own law firm, CNN reported Wednesday.
Edwards, the Democratic vice presidential nominee in 2004, reactivated his law license with the North Carolina State Bar last month. According to the CNN report, Edwards' firm will be based in Raleigh, N.C. and will focus on plaintiff work. Prior to serving in the U.S. Senate, Edwards practiced as a personal injury lawyer.
The reported move marks a return to public life for Edwards, who admitted to having an affair with campaign employee Rielle Hunter in August 2008. The former senator later admitted to fathering a child, Quinn, with Hunter.
In May 2012, Edwards was acquitted on a campaign finance fraud charge regarding his 2008 presidential bid. The judge called a mistrial on an additional five counts regarding his relationship with Hunter after the jury failed to reach a consensus.
“I did an awful, awful lot that was wrong,” Edwards said after the trial. “I am responsible. I don’t have to go any further than the mirror. It’s me and me alone.”
Since his acquittal, the former senator has stayed out of the spotlight. However, Edwards is scheduled to speak at a lawyers' retreat in Florida on Thursday.