Clinic Perspective: Michael Marinello '06, Partner, Kagan Stern Marinello & Beard LLC
What did you enjoy about your clinic experience?
I participated in what was then called the Appellate & Post-Conviction Advocacy Clinic with then-Professor Renée Hutchins and Professor Michael Millemann, which was most likely the most formative experience from all of law school for me. What I enjoyed most was the opportunity to collaborate with my fellow clinic participants and Professors Hutchins and Millemann on real-life cases with real-life clients and the chance to make a difference in the lives of those clinic clients.
Was there a particularly memorable moment from your clinic experience that you'd like to share?
Meeting with my clinic client at the correctional facility, preparing for oral argument with Professor Hutchins, and arguing my client's case before the Court of Special Appeals. And, while it did not occur during the clinic itself, it was memorable and rewarding to run into Professor Hutchins again for the first time at the Court of Special Appeals, of all places, approximately ten years later while she was arguing a criminal case and I was arguing a firm client's civil case before the same panel.
What was your greatest takeaway from your clinic experience?
A couple of my greatest takeaways are (a) no matter how hopeless an appellate case can seem initially from its record, reviewing and re-reviewing the record with patience, diligence, and sometimes a little creativity can almost always yield at least one colorable, good faith issue to pursue on appeal; and (b) no matter how easy or clear-cut an appellate issue might seem, preparation and knowing the record will still always be absolutely crucial to any potential success.
How has your clinic experience benefited you in your career and approach to lawyering?
Particularly with respect to my appellate cases, my clinic experience still serves to this day as the foundation of the process I use to prepare each case and advocate on behalf of each client. From how to review a record to how to prepare an outline for oral argument to how to argue before an appellate panel, I still follow the same tips and techniques learned during my clinic experience. The skills learned during my clinic experience have been invaluable!