Heidi Rummel

Heidi Rummel serves as Clinical Professor of Law and Director of the Post-Conviction Justice Project at the University of Southern California's Gould School of Law. She supervises state bar certified law students representing clients serving life sentences in California prisons through parole hearings, clemency petitions, resentencing hearings, and habeas corpus proceedings, securing the release of over 250 incarcerated individuals including 25+ serving life without parole.

Education

• Bachelor of Arts with highest honors, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
• Juris Doctor with honors, University of Chicago
• Law clerk to Honorable Thomas Penfield Jackson, U.S. District Court for District of Columbia

Professor Rummel's work centers on criminal justice reform with specialized focus on post-conviction relief mechanisms for survivors of intimate partner violence and juvenile justice reform. Her legislative advocacy has driven systemic changes in California's penal code regarding parole considerations, youth offender sentencing, and habeas corpus eligibility, emphasizing restorative justice approaches and second-chance opportunities for incarcerated populations. She bridges clinical legal practice with policy development to address structural inequities in the criminal legal system.

Scientific Awards

No scientific awards were documented in the provided materials.

Advising and Grants

Rummel supervises law students in the Post-Conviction Justice Project clinic, providing direct representation experience while advancing systemic reform. Her legislative achievements include instrumental roles in passing AB 593, AB 1593, SB 9, SB 260/261, AB 1308, SB 382, SB 394, and SB 395 - demonstrating sustained grant-funded policy impact through the California legislature. She teaches Post-Conviction Clinical Seminar and Legislative Policy Practicum alongside Criminal Law and Trial Advocacy courses.

Labs and Teams

As Director of the Post-Conviction Justice Project, Rummel leads a clinical team comprising law students, staff attorneys, and incarcerated clients across California's prison system. The project operates as an integrated legal advocacy unit focused on individual case representation while developing precedent-setting arguments for broader policy change, particularly regarding juvenile lifer resentencing and intimate partner violence considerations in parole determinations.