Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Martin Zilber knew he wanted to be a lawyer even as a kid, but he went into politics first—on the student council in elementary and middle school, and running against former Miami-Dade County Commissioner Jimmy Morales for class president at Miami Beach High School.

He lost. But that didn't dampen his desires.

“We joke about it,” Zilber said. “He says it was close, but he killed me.”