With 2,000 Billable Hours, Add 300 More for Veterans

Daniel Sylvester, a third-year associate at Holland & Knight, is anything but a typical young lawyer.

Sylvester spent more than 10 years in the U.S. Army, stationed overseas in Germany, Italy and Croatia. After leaving the army in 1999, he had a second career as an executive recruiter, met and married his wife, who had served two tours of duty in Iraq and now suffers from post traumatic stress disorder. Eventually, he wound up in law school at DePaul University College of Law.

Sylvester, now 49, is an associate in addition to his work in the firm’s financial services team, and ...