Taft Early Career          

As a youth, Taft attended Woodward High school in Cincinnati, OH.  He went on to graduate from Yale College in 1878 then enrolled at Cincinnati Law School.  He passed his bar exams in 1880 and became a lawyer.
Taft claimed he never wanted to become president, doing so only at his wife's request.  His lifelong ambition was to be Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court which he was appointed by President Harding in 1921.  He was the only person to ever serve as both president and chief justice.  Prior to this great accomplishment, William was all these:

1. Ohio superior court 1887-1890
2. US Solicitor General 1890-1892
3.  U.S. Circuit Judge 1892-1900
4. Governor of the Philippines 1901-1904
5. Secretary of War  1904-1908 under T. Roosevelt
6. Chief Justice of the US Supreme Court 1921-1930

As the first cvil governor of the Philippine Islands Taft did much to better relation between  Filipinos and Americans.  His friend, president Theodore Roosevelt, appointed Taft Secretary of War.  Taft became a close advisor to the president and was prominent in Latin American affairs, conducting delicate negotiations and attending US intervention in Cuba in 1906.  
William's  first job was a court reporter for the Cincinnati Commercial Gazette .