A source said former United States Senator John Edwards plans to start a law firm by September, according to CNN.com.
The field is nothing new to Edwards, who was a multi-million dollar lawyer before he ventured into the world of politics. The former North Carolina legislator was an attorney who was well known for dealing with liability and malpractice suits.
After trying to be the Democrat’s presidential choice in 2008, he acknowledged committing adultery during the same year. Rielle Hunter, the other participating party in the affair, had been a videographer during his run for the Democratic nomination.
After Hunter had given birth to a baby girl--six months before the former senator admitted the affair--Edwards denied he was the baby’s father. He later acknowledged the child was his own.
In January 2010 he and his wife Elizabeth officially separated. Almost a year later, his wife passed away after losing her battle with cancer.
Edwards faced criminal charges because of his affair. The Justice Department said he used approximately $1 million of his campaign money to cover up the infidelity. However, a jury in North Carolina could not unanimously convict him on five of the six charges after acquitting him of the first.
“While I do not believe I did anything illegal or ever thought I was doing anything illegal, I did an awful, awful lot that was wrong. And there is no one else responsible for my sins,” said Edwards in a public apology.
Edwards has laid low since 2010. Hunter said in 2012 the two had broken up.
According to the North Carolina State Bar Edward’s is “presently eligible to practice law.”