Lorne holds an Honour Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Toronto, and Masters and Doctoral degrees from the University of California at Berkeley. In 1994, he earned his Juris Doctor degree (magna cum laude) from Boston College Law School where he was elected to the Order of the Coif. He is a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association.
Lorne enjoyed a prior career as a college professor of English and he is active in a number of civic and arts organizations. He sat on the Board of Trustees of the Nashua Symphony Orchestra and currently serves on the Board of Directors of the New Hampshire Humanities Council. He is also a member of the Amherst, New Hampshire Town Band.