Professor Laroche honored by the GNO Louis A. Martinet Legal Society
Tulane Law Professor Carla Laroche, a nationally-recognized scholar whose expertise spans issues of access to justice, voting rights and advancing racial and gender equity, has been honored with the Dr. Norman C. Francis Award by the Greater New Orleans Louis A. Martinet Legal Society.
Laroche, Felder-Fayard Associate Professor of Law at Tulane University and core faculty at The Murphy Institute, teaches and writes in the areas of civil rights and criminal legal system reform. At Tulane, she leads courses focused on people who are incarcerated and formerly incarcerated, women of color, and low-income communities.
The Dr. Norman C. Francis Award is specifically conferred upon exemplary educators. It honors those who have made outstanding contributions to the legal community, scholarly discourse, and civic education. It commemorates the deep legacy of Dr. Norman C. Francis—an iconic educator and civil rights champion—by recognizing educators who follow in his footsteps: leaders who blend academic excellence with social justice and a commitment to community empowerment.
“Professor Laroche is a dynamic scholar, advocate, and teacher whose commitment to justice and community engagement reflects the very best of Tulane Law’s mission."
Law Dean Marcilynn Burke
“Her work has opened doors for countless students and inspired transformative conversations on criminal justice reform and civil rights, to name a few," Burke added. "We are proud to recognize her contributions and excited for all that she will continue to accomplish.”
Before joining Tulane, Laroche directed the Civil Rights and Racial Justice Clinic at Washington and Lee University School of Law. She previously served as a clinical professor at Florida State University College of Law and as the director of the Gender & Family Justice Clinic, where she trained future lawyers to represent clients in family law and reentry matters. Earlier in her career, Laroche was a criminal justice reform law fellow at the Southern Poverty Law Center in Florida and a banking associate at a major law firm in Washington, D.C.
A graduate of Princeton University, Columbia Law School, and the Harvard Kennedy School, Laroche is also a widely sought speaker on the role of lawyers in addressing inequality. Her scholarship and advocacy highlight the structural barriers women of color and people affected by the criminal legal system face, as well as the importance of community-driven legal reform.
The Martinet Society’s Annual Jazz Brunch and Scholarship Gala was themed “Let Us March On: Navigating the Tension Between Progress and Pushback,” and took place at The Ritz-Carlton in New Orleans on Sept. 6. Annually, it benefits scholarships for undergraduate and law students as well as community service initiatives.
Janell McFarland-Forges
In addition to Laroche, Martinet gave a scholarship to 2L Naya Singleton for her academic achievements. Two other members of the Tulane community received certificates for their outstanding service to the GNO Martinet: 3L Charles Rice, III, who served as Tulane BLSA’s representative to the Martinet Young Lawyers Committee, and Assistant Director of Continuing Legal Education Janell McFarland-Forges, who was Co-Chair of Martinet’s CLE Committee.
The organization also recognized several other community leaders for their contributions to law and public service. The honorees included Judge Kern A. Reese, Judge Dana M. Douglas, Cory J. Vidal, Mollie A. Ponds, Commissioner Davante Lewis, and Zachary O. Simmons.
