Lawrence Lessig is a well-known American academic, famed for his participation in the legal sphere. From his battles on cyberspace law to scuffles over corruption in government, Lessig has helped lead some of the most important political movements of the start of the millenium. So how did a reportedly shy constitutional scholar become so influential? Most famous people become well-known because of their successes—their time spent in public office or bestselling books they've written or awards they've won. Ironically, it's been Lessig's willingness to incur "failures" that have fueled his reputation as a brilliant thinker and leader.