The Spirit of the Law

Attorney inspires students through personal journey By Kelsey Schreiberg Law students learned to intertwine their personal passions with professional goals at the most recent Spirit of the Law speaker event. The series brings practicing attorneys together with students to help them find meaning and purpose in the law. Recently, Niels Frenzen, Clinical Professor of Law at USC Gould and the director of the Immigration Clinic, spoke to students about his own career path as an attorney specializing in immigration law. The lunchtime event was co-sponsored by the Asian Pacific American Law Student Association, the Critical Legal Studies Association, USC’s Office of Religious Life, and the Levan Institute for Humanities and Ethics. “The purpose of the series is to inspire law students to think outside the box when it comes to their legal educations and future careers, and to inspire them to seek out work that they can truly be passionate about,” Jennifer Chang ’13 said. Frenzen has taught at USC Gould since 2000. Previously, he served as directing attorney of the Immigrants’ Rights Project at Public Counsel and supervising attorney at the Haitian Refugee Center. “Prof. Frenzen is driven by his life’s purpose -- a passion to serve the underserved -- and that this internal motivator is more effective than a large salary, human recognition, or any other external factor,” Chang said. When Frenzen was earning his degree at Drake University Law School during President Reagan’s administration, the Administration’s foreign policy affected human rights practices in many parts of the world, including Haiti, causing tens of thousands of Haitians to flee to the U.S. Although litigating cases for Haitians seeking asylum and protection in the United States was challenging, he learned invaluable lessons. He says he maintains his passion for the law, and derives satisfaction from providing services to people who have experienced harms and threats many could never imagine. Working in the non-profit sector gives him the flexibility to assist people who are more vulnerable. “You can’t serve everybody, but you can pick clients where you can affect significant legal changes,” Frenzen said. Ultimately, the presentation reaffirmed the value in doing legal work that truly makes a difference. “Consider a career that you are personally interested in--career options that are not pursued by most lawyers, such as careers in government, with international organizations, with public interest organizations,” Frenzen encouraged. Watch a video of Frenzen's talk.