After earning a B.S. degree in marine engineering systems in 2003 from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, Suni Sukduang went to work as a submarine design engineer at the Portsmouth Naval Yard. He didn’t find it challenging enough and decided to go to law school after discussing intellectual property law with his brother.

That decision paid off: Greg Novak, the managing partner and CEO of Novak Druce Connolly Bove + Quigg, says Sukduang is the youngest attorney to make partner in the firm and achieved that in the shortest amount of time of any attorney at the firm. Sukduang was elected to the partnership in January 2011.