Brenita Softley joined the faculty at South Texas College of Law Houston as a Visiting Assistant Professor in July 2025. Before entering academia, she practiced criminal law at both the post-conviction and trial levels. She began her career at the Capital Appeals Project (CAP), where she represented individuals on death row and those serving life without parole sentences. She later worked at the Louisiana Center for Children’s Rights, where she defended children charged with crimes and connected them with community-based resources and support.

Professor Softley earned her J.D. from the University of Alabama School of Law, where she received the ACLU of Alabama Award in recognition of her commitment to advancing civil liberties. During law school, she served as an editor for the Alabama Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Law Review. She holds a B.A. in History, summa cum laude, from the University of North Alabama.