Cate Edwards
Encyclopedia
Catharine Elizabeth "Cate" Edwards (born March 4, 1982) is an American
attorney. She is the daughter of former Senator (D
-NC
) John Edwards
and Elizabeth Edwards
. She gave eulogies after her brother Wade's death and after her mother Elizabeth's death. She frequently spoke for the family during her mother's final days and upon her death, and was widely admired as the public face of the family during these events.
, where her parents were both practicing attorneys, Cate Edwards was educated in the Wake County Public School System
. She attended Aldert Root Elementary School, Daniels Middle School, and Broughton High School
, where she graduated at the top of her class. In high school, she played soccer, basketball
and softball
, and was named All-Conference and Most Valuable Player
her senior year. Her siblings are: Wade (1979–1996), Emma Claire (born 1998), Jack (born 2000) and Frances Quinn (born 2008).
Cate Edwards attended Princeton University
, majoring in Political Economics
and graduating with honors. She is a member of the Pi Beta Phi
sorority and was an intern for the Council on Foreign Relations
.
, she lived in New York City
and worked as an Editorial Assistant for Vanity Fair
. While in New York, she and co-worker Jessica Flint founded an online rolodex called UrbanistaOnline to help young newcomers settle into New York. In 2004, she also became a member of the Board of Directors
of the youth voter initiative Generation Engage and is an active voice in youth politics. She was again an active campaigner for her father's 2008 run for the Democratic presidential nomination.
Edwards entered Harvard Law School
in fall 2006. In the summer after her first year in law school, she worked as intern to Nina Totenberg
at NPR
. In fall 2007, she became a member of the Harvard Legal Aid Bureau
. Edwards graduated from Harvard Law in 2009. She then moved to Washington, D.C.
and clerked for federal Judge Leonie M. Brinkema
of Eastern District of Virginia
before joining Sanford Wittels & Heisler, LLP
as a civil rights lawyer
. She temporarily left the practice of law in May 2011, after the death of her mother, Elizabeth, to start a foundation in her mom's honor.
, she was quoted as saying: "I'm on my mom's side with this, not my dad's. It's the word 'marriage' that he is hung up on" (John Edwards supported civil union
s, while Elizabeth Edwards had stated that she supported gay marriage).
Cate stood by her father, John Edwards
, as he faced felony charges of conspiracy, false statements and campaign law violations for the cover-up of $925,000 in illicit campaign contributions.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
attorney. She is the daughter of former Senator (D
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
-NC
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
) John Edwards
John Edwards
Johnny Reid "John" Edwards is an American politician, who served as a U.S. Senator from North Carolina. He was the Democratic nominee for Vice President in 2004, and was a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2004 and 2008.He defeated incumbent Republican Lauch Faircloth in...
and Elizabeth Edwards
Elizabeth Edwards
Elizabeth Anania Edwards was an American attorney, a best-selling author and a health care activist. She was married to John Edwards, the former U.S...
. She gave eulogies after her brother Wade's death and after her mother Elizabeth's death. She frequently spoke for the family during her mother's final days and upon her death, and was widely admired as the public face of the family during these events.
Early life
Born in Raleigh, North CarolinaRaleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 403,892, over an area of , making Raleigh...
, where her parents were both practicing attorneys, Cate Edwards was educated in the Wake County Public School System
Wake County Public School System
The Wake County Public School System is a public school district located in Wake County, North Carolina. With 143,289 students enrolled in 163 schools as of the 2010/11 academic year, it is the largest public school district in North Carolina and the 17th largest district in the United States.-...
. She attended Aldert Root Elementary School, Daniels Middle School, and Broughton High School
Needham B. Broughton High School
Needham Bryant Broughton High School, or simply Broughton High School, is one of the flagship schools of the Wake County Public School System. It is located at 723 St. Mary's Street, Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. Broughton was named after the Raleigh aristocrat, Needham B. Broughton, who...
, where she graduated at the top of her class. In high school, she played soccer, basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
and softball
Softball
Softball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand...
, and was named All-Conference and Most Valuable Player
Most Valuable Player
In sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
her senior year. Her siblings are: Wade (1979–1996), Emma Claire (born 1998), Jack (born 2000) and Frances Quinn (born 2008).
Cate Edwards attended Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
, majoring in Political Economics
Political economy
Political economy originally was the term for studying production, buying, and selling, and their relations with law, custom, and government, as well as with the distribution of national income and wealth, including through the budget process. Political economy originated in moral philosophy...
and graduating with honors. She is a member of the Pi Beta Phi
Pi Beta Phi
Pi Beta Phi is an international fraternity for women founded as I.C. Sorosis on April 28, 1867, at Monmouth College in Monmouth, Illinois. Its headquarters are located in Town and Country, Missouri, and there are 134 active chapters and over 330 alumnae organizations across the United States and...
sorority and was an intern for the Council on Foreign Relations
Council on Foreign Relations
The Council on Foreign Relations is an American nonprofit nonpartisan membership organization, publisher, and think tank specializing in U.S. foreign policy and international affairs...
.
Political activity and career
In 2004, Cate Edwards actively campaigned with her father on his unsuccessful campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination. After the presidential electionUnited States presidential election, 2004
The United States presidential election of 2004 was the United States' 55th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on Tuesday, November 2, 2004. Republican Party candidate and incumbent President George W. Bush defeated Democratic Party candidate John Kerry, the then-junior U.S. Senator...
, she lived in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and worked as an Editorial Assistant for Vanity Fair
Vanity Fair (magazine)
Vanity Fair is a magazine of pop culture, fashion, and current affairs published by Condé Nast. The present Vanity Fair has been published since 1983 and there have been editions for four European countries as well as the U.S. edition. This revived the title which had ceased publication in 1935...
. While in New York, she and co-worker Jessica Flint founded an online rolodex called UrbanistaOnline to help young newcomers settle into New York. In 2004, she also became a member of the Board of Directors
Board of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
of the youth voter initiative Generation Engage and is an active voice in youth politics. She was again an active campaigner for her father's 2008 run for the Democratic presidential nomination.
Edwards entered Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
in fall 2006. In the summer after her first year in law school, she worked as intern to Nina Totenberg
Nina Totenberg
Nina Totenberg is an American legal affairs correspondent for National Public Radio focusing primarily on the activities and politics of the Supreme Court of the United States. Her reports air regularly on NPR's newsmagazines All Things Considered, Morning Edition, and Weekend Edition...
at NPR
NPR
NPR, formerly National Public Radio, is a privately and publicly funded non-profit membership media organization that serves as a national syndicator to a network of 900 public radio stations in the United States. NPR was created in 1970, following congressional passage of the Public Broadcasting...
. In fall 2007, she became a member of the Harvard Legal Aid Bureau
Harvard Legal Aid Bureau
The Harvard Legal Aid Bureau is the oldest student-run legal services office in the country, founded in 1913. Located at 23 Everett Street in Cambridge, MA, the Bureau's mission is to provide an important community service while giving student attorneys the opportunity to develop professional...
. Edwards graduated from Harvard Law in 2009. She then moved to Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
and clerked for federal Judge Leonie M. Brinkema
Leonie Brinkema
Leonie M. Brinkema is a United States District Court judge, in the Eastern District of Virginia.-Early life and education:...
of Eastern District of Virginia
United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia
The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia is one of two United States district courts serving the Commonwealth of Virginia...
before joining Sanford Wittels & Heisler, LLP
as a civil rights lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
. She temporarily left the practice of law in May 2011, after the death of her mother, Elizabeth, to start a foundation in her mom's honor.
Gay marriage stance
Early in the 2004 presidential campaign, Edwards became the first family member of the Democratic candidates to state that she was in favor of legalizing gay marriage. On September 30, 2007, during a campaign stop with actor James DentonJames Denton (actor)
James "Jamie" Thomas Denton, Jr. is an American film and television actor, best known for playing Mike Delfino in the television series Desperate Housewives.-Early life:...
, she was quoted as saying: "I'm on my mom's side with this, not my dad's. It's the word 'marriage' that he is hung up on" (John Edwards supported civil union
Civil union
A civil union, also referred to as a civil partnership, is a legally recognized form of partnership similar to marriage. Beginning with Denmark in 1989, civil unions under one name or another have been established by law in many developed countries in order to provide same-sex couples rights,...
s, while Elizabeth Edwards had stated that she supported gay marriage).
Personal life
Edwards married her longtime boyfriend Trevor Upham in October of 2011.Cate stood by her father, John Edwards
John Edwards
Johnny Reid "John" Edwards is an American politician, who served as a U.S. Senator from North Carolina. He was the Democratic nominee for Vice President in 2004, and was a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2004 and 2008.He defeated incumbent Republican Lauch Faircloth in...
, as he faced felony charges of conspiracy, false statements and campaign law violations for the cover-up of $925,000 in illicit campaign contributions.