Steve Roberts, Associate, K&L Gates, 33

Job: Help my clients achieve political and policy engagement goals without running afoul of the numerous, overlapping restrictions on lobbying, campaign contributions, and gifts at the federal, state and local levels.

Career highlight: Successfully working with the WWE, and members of the McMahon family, to seek dismissal of frivolous complaints before the FEC in connection with Linda McMahon's campaigns for US Senate in Connecticut.

Why this career: In the dozens of federal and statewide political campaigns to which I've served as an adviser, I've seen how the law can be an incredibly effective weapon in boosting your cause—or neutralizing your opponent's attacks. It's a different, and emerging, way to change a political or policy outcome.

Where you grew up: Patriot, OH, a small community in southeastern Ohio of about 50 people. We had a couple of stop signs, a post office and a Coke machine.

Why DC: It's the center of the political world.

First job: Republican National Committee phone bank.

Free time: Brewing beer and playing with my 9-month-old daughter.

10 years from now: Working as a lead attorney in a political law practice in DC.

Favorite vacation spots: Delaware beaches and Virginia state parks.

Bucket list: Winning a constitutional challenge to over-burdensome campaign finance laws at the Supreme Court.

Daily habit: Reading the day's print edition Wall Street Journal with a cup of coffee. It gets my mind going first thing.

Startling fact: I'm (still) a Pete Rose supporter.