Michael Beckman has been practicing law since 1982. With a focus on parole law, he has represented over 2000 inmates serving life sentences in California, many of whom have been granted parole. As of fall 2019, 214 of his lifer clients have paroled out of prison.

Beckman earned his B.A.with Distinction and Honors, in Literature and American History from the University of Michigan in 1979. He earned his J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School in 1982. During his time as a law student in Ann Arbor, Beckman was a Quarterfinalist in the Campbell Moot Court Competition and a participant in the Child Advocacy Law Clinic.