OJ Simpson
O.J. Simpson, pictured May 17, 2013 at an evidentiary hearing in Clark County District Court in Las Vegas, the former athlete's parole hearing Thursday will determine the status of his sentence. Getty Images

Four parole board members will decide O.J. Simpson's freedom status Thursday in Nevada. Simpson's fight can't be won without securing a solid legal team, a truth the NFL alum knows from being tried and ultimately acquitted in the 1994 double-murder trial of his wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman — a trial that heavily impacts pop culture to this day.

Malcolm LaVergne, a Nevada-based attorney, will prove to be a key player in paving Simpson's future at Nevada's Lovelock Correctional Center. But who is he?

Read: Why OJ Simpson's Likely To Be A Free Man After Parole Hearing

LaVergne, who graduated from Cornell Law School in 2000 and earned his B.A. from Stephen F. Austin State University in Texas, is a personal injury attorney. He previously worked for as an Associate with Dreyer Boyajian LLP in Albany, New York.

The Texas native launched his own law firm Malcolm P. LaVergne & Associates in 2005, which is primarily housed in Las Vegas, Nevada. LaVergne's law firm also provides services in Texas and New York. He primarily provides service to clients who claim they've been physically or psychologically injured, claiming he uses "comprehensive case preparation and assertive litigation skills" to bring justice for clients on his website. Although he primarily works on personal injury cases, his practice also evaluates criminal law cases like Simpson's.

LaVergne has worked as a construction worker, volunteer firefighter, security guard and ambulance driver — claiming this allows him "to connect with his clients on a personal level."

LaVergne benefits from working alongside Simpson before Thursday's parole hearing. Simpson teamed up with LaVergne in 2015, aiding in Simpson's appeal trial to the Nevada Supreme Court, according to Daily News.

Read: OJ Simpson Parole Hearing Proposition Betting Odds

Simpson's appeal for bail was denied by the state of Nevada, according to documents obtained by NPR.

"In evaluating these factors, there are several relevant considerations, including the nature and quality of the evidence adduced at the trial, the circumstances of the offense, and the defendant's prior criminal record," the documents read. "A defendant 'who has been convicted of a violent, serious offense and who faces a substantial term of imprisonment will shoulder a heavy burden' to demonstrate that both factors weigh in favor of allowing bail pending appeal.'"

LaVergne and Simpson didn't secure a victory in 2015, but legal experts suggest he has a strong chance of getting parole Thursday. As International Business Times previously reported, Simpson's clean criminal record and good behavior at Lovelock Correctional Center plays in his favor, allowing for the four parole commissioners to give him the benefit of the doubt. The commissioners are also instructed to reach a unanimous decision, only placing focus on his current case and not his notable murder trial.

Simpson isn't the only well-known client LaVergne has worked with. Professional boxer Floyd Mayweather Sr. required LaVergne's services in 2009, securing him a settlement deal in a defamation case against fellow boxer Manny Pacquiao, according to San Diego Tribune. LaVergne claimed Mayweather Sr. was "very happy" with the results.

LaVergne declined to provide comment to news publications until Simpson's parole hearing concluded, but CBS News noted that he briefly spoke about his client's potential victory, saying, "If he's able to get parole, my prediction is he's going to want to live a quiet life."

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