Now in his second year back at USC Gould School of Law as a clinical assistant professor of law, Michael Parente (JD 2012) has continued his work in the field of criminal justice as a practitioner and educator. Read more about his journey here.
Question: Introduce yourself.
Answer: My name is Michael Parente. I co-direct the Post-Conviction Justice Project (PCJP) and co-teach the Post-Conviction Justice clinical seminar with Professor Heidi Rummel. Before coming to USC, I was a deputy federal public defender here in Los Angeles, primarily representing individuals on death row in constitutional challenges to their convictions and sentences.
Q: What is the source of your passion for criminal justice?
A: I met my first client as a PCJP student, and the experience left a lasting impression on me. I knew I wanted a career where I could work on challenging cases and potentially make a difference for clients, and the post-conviction field offers a lot of opportunities for that. I was also drawn to how layered these cases can be, involving weighty questions of law but also deeply personal stories of resilience and change.
Q: What are you working on now that keeps you optimistic?
A: The Project itself keeps me optimistic. Our clients generally live in extremely challenging prison environments with few resources, yet they continue to make efforts to improve themselves and their community. They have a lot to teach us. Meanwhile, our students come to these cases never having represented a client, with limited knowledge of the law, but they quickly become invested in their cases and are able to make an impact. So long as lawyers continue to stand up for the most marginalized individuals in our society, I have hope for the profession.
Q: What lesson/philosophy do you hope your students take away from your teachings?
A: Representing a client involves so much more than just knowing the law. It requires understanding the client’s needs and giving everything you’ve got to solve the client’s problem. Whatever areas of law our students go on to practice, my hope is that they bring a little extra empathy and tenacity to their work because they’ve seen firsthand the difference that can make.
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