What is Laura Coates’ net worth?
Laura Coates is an American attorney who has a net worth of $2.5 million. As the host of The Laura Coates Show and a legal analyst for the global news network, CNN, Coates’ name was also put forward by the late, great Alex Trebek to host Jeopardy! when his contract ended.
Coates has been a civil rights and social justice warrior throughout her long career.
Laura Gayle Coates was born in Saint Paul, Minnesota, on July 11th, 1980.
She spent her childhood and part of her adult life in Saint Paul, growing up in the southwestern suburb of Highland Park.
Her parents, Norman and Martha, are the proud parents of three daughters.
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She attended St. Paul Academy (now St. Paul Academy and Summit School), a school that produced notable alumni like F. Scott Fitzgerald and Steven Levitt—the author of Freakonomics.
Coates graduated from high school and moved on to Princeton University, where she graduated with a bachelor’s degree from the School of Public and International Affairs in 2001.
She followed that up with her Juris Doctorate in 2005.
A Breathtaking Rise To The Top
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After graduation, Coates joined Faegre & Benson—a Minnesota-based law firm.
She stayed with the firm for many years, but eventually left to pursue associate status with Kasowitz, Benson, Torres & Friedman in New York.
Not long after her move to NYC, she moved into the role of a federal prosecutor with the US Department of Justice, and then as a trial attorney in the Civil Rights division.
This new shift in her trajectory also meant another move—this time to Washington, D.C.
Throughout Bush and Obama’s tenures in office, she specialized in maintaining the voting rights of US citizens.
She also worked as an Assistant US Attorney for D.C., with a focus on the prosecution of violent offenders, child abusers, and perpetrators of domestic and sexual abuse.
Into The Public Arena
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Coates had long ago adjusted to being in front of an audience as a US federal prosecutor and assistant US Attorney when she moved into the mainstream spotlight.
In May of 2016, she joined CNN as a US legal analyst, delivering insightful—and accurate—legal commentary to a worldwide viewership.
Not long after her foray into the media sphere, Laura scored her own show.
The Laura Coates Show started out on SiriusXM’s Urban View in 2017, before moving to POTUS in January 2021.
The radio show typically delivers social commentary and legal insight on national issues—including civil rights, economic development, social justice, and headline topics.
In July of 2018, following Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek’s announcement that he would retire when his contract came up for renewal, he put Coates’ name forward for consideration.
Laura’s response was humble and grateful, and showed her respect for the legendary TV host.
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Husband/Children
In 2010, Laura Coates married Dale Gordon.
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Despite a crazy work schedule and so much time in the public eye, Coates has learned to manage her hectic itinerary in order to be there for her kids—a daughter named Sydney, born in 2014, and a son born a year earlier.
In 2018, Laura Coates spoke openly about her devastation when her daughter told her she didn’t like the way she looked.
Coates claims that hearing her daughter feel so bad about herself was heartbreaking.
The mother and daughter duo discussed what had made Sydney feel that way, to which she explained that she was being bullied for the color of her skin.
In an Instagram story, she shared that on her honeymoon, an older couple on the Eurorail train bought her and her husband a bottle of wine to help them celebrate.
The older couple, who were Italian, spoke no English—but they understood a young couple in love.
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And More Work
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Coates has finely honed her expertise as a legal professional, and even expanded her drive for social justice and people’s rights through her own books—like the January 2016 published You Have The Right: A Constitutional Guide to Policing the Police.
The book was written to guide everyday Americans to understanding their 4th, 5th, and 6th Amendment rights.
Coates is well respected for her ability to stay objective in an argument, and to speak clearly and plainly about topics of the day.
This gift for breaking down and simplifying emotionally fraught topics has led to her opinions being shared across The Washington Post, USA Today, and NBC.
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Net Worth & Salary 2024
So, how much is Laura Coates worth? Coates earned most of her wealth from serving as a legal analyst for CNN, selling copies of her book (You have the Right), and working for many years as an attorney. Therefore, American legal analyst Laura Coates has an estimated net worth of $2.5 million.
In May 2023, she was promoted to chief legal analyst at CNN. Laura Coates’ annual salary at CNN was not revealed to the public.
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I am Bulgarea Candin Stefan, and I founded FamousPeopleToday.com in 2018. I’m using my bachelor’s degree in economics and 9 years of experience in blogging to guide millions of people through the incredibly complex world of celebrity net worths.