Johnny Returns To Chasing Ambulances

Former senator, failed presidential candidate, and famous philanderer Johnny Reid "John" Edwards is reportedly going to shun politics and return to practicing law.

The National Law Journal reports that:

Renouncing any further political ambitions, former U.S. senator and two-time Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards has returned to the practice of law, confident that potential clients and juries will look past the personal transgressions that pushed him from public life.

Edwards is joining forces with his daughter Cate and former law partner David Kirby to launch EdwardsKirby, a plaintiffs firm with a public interest focus.

One of the most successful trial lawyers in North Carolina history, Edwards, 60, said Monday in an interview with The National Law Journal that practicing law is "what I was born to do."

Edwards had a fairly successful personal injury practice in which he won 54 cases with awards of $1 million or greater. His former practice was primarily North Carolina based. However, this new firm will be taking cases from across the country.

The original partnership practiced primarily within the state of North Carolina, but the new firm is national. Edwards said he anticipates going to trial around the country—and he wasn't concerned about his ability to connect with non-Tar Heel jurors.

"I didn't come to talk about politics, but I know from politics that we can do it anywhere," he said.

Also, the original firm primarily handled cases involving catastrophic injury and death, while the new firm has a broader portfolio. Kirby said the focus would be on three areas: civil rights and discrimination; consumer rights and protection; and safety, including medical malpractice and product liability.

"This firm intends to limit its practice to a selected group of cases that hopefully will not only have impact on individuals involved, but have a broader impact on the law," Kirby said.

While Edwards made his fame and fortune in the Tar Heel State, at least we can say he isn't a native. That distinction falls to South Carolina. Thank goodness for small favors.