Nearly 23 years ago, Rob Bonta and Goodwin Liu were poised to do big things in life, as most Yale Law School graduates are.

Remarkably similar academic paths had brought the two Californians to New Haven, Connecticut. At commencement in 1998, Bonta appeared destined for a career in public service. Liu was on track to be a standout academic, mentioned in the same breath by colleagues as Richard Primus and Noah Feldman, fellow graduates of the same era.