Yaakov Roth, with Jones Day.

Employer: Jones Day Title and Practice Area: Partner, Appellate

Describe your biggest win or accomplishment in practice.  My biggest accomplishment was convincing the Supreme Court to review my client's convictions arising out of the "Bridgegate" scandal, and then to reverse those convictions unanimously on the legal theory I had developed. It was a major victory for both my client and the rule of law.

What was the most valuable lesson you learned in your first year practicing law?  I once shared with the judge I was clerking for that I found a pending case "very close." He told me not to worry too much about close cases, because no great injustice would be done either way. Lesson: make sure the judges understand why your case is not close.

Who is your greatest lawyer mentor and what has he or she taught you?  Now-retired Jones Day partner Glen Nager. He taught me many valuable lessons on written and oral advocacy but, more importantly, to always view the situation from the client's perspective and focus on achieving the client's objectives. He embodies that core Firm value of client service.

Please share a brief key to your success. Whenever I jump into a new case, I try to identify the tension, conflict or ambiguity in the law that underlies the dispute. Digging beneath the superficial and exposing that root is the starting point for developing the legal or policy reasons why my client's position should prevail.