Hochul was born in Buffalo, New York. She received a B.A. from Syracuse University in 1980 and a J.D. from Catholic University in 1983. In addition to working as an attorney in private practice, she was an aide to Rep. John LaFalce (D) from 1984 to 1986 and to Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan (D) from 1986 to 1988. She served as Deputy Clerk of Erie County in New York from 2003 to 2007 and as Clerk of Erie County from 2007 to 2011.
