FIVE ALL-STARS Evan Kohlmann L'04 Eric Rothschild L'93 Miguel Rodriguez C'94 L'99 Derek Pew L'93 Aretha Delight Davis L'97

He was quite content to practice traditional law — or so he thought. Rodriguez, a first-generation American (his parents are from Chile and Colombia), graduated from Penn Law School, then joined a big Washington law firm, Crowell & Moring LLP as a litigator. But something happened on his way to becoming partner. After five years on the job, Rodriguez realized he didn’t want to practice traditional law. Too confrontational. He felt better suited to a job where he could compromise and reach consensus.

Sparked in large part by his interest in the 2004 presidential election, during which he monitored voting in Florida for the Kerry-Edwards campaign, he started to read ads for jobs on Capitol Hill. One day he spotted an opening for a legal fellow, an unpaid, six-month position, in the office of then-Senator Jon Corzine. He was hired. Three months later, he was invited to join the staff, and performed so well that Corzine, now governor of New Jersey, appointed him his general counsel.