Tulane Law Faculty and Fellows Showcase Scholarship at SEALS Annual Conference

Tulane Law Communications lawcommunications@tulane.edu
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Tulane Law School faculty and fellows made a strong showing at the 2026 Southeastern Association of Law Schools (SEALS) Annual Conference in Amelia Island, Florida, contributing to discussions on topics ranging from criminal law and voting rights to legal education and social justice. 

A highlight of the conference was a discussion group “Old Harms, New Urgency: Reimagining Justice in a Time of Reckoning,” which was moderated by Professor Catherine Hancock and featured Professor Jancy Hoeffel, Professor Carla Laroche and Forrester Fellow April Xu, among other participants. The discussion explored ways in which legal scholars and practitioners can advance strategies to promote a more equitable and responsive criminal legal system. 

Professor Laroche participated in the discussion group “Voting Rights and Redistricting: The U.S. Supreme Court Decides Louisiana v. Callais,” where the discussants analyzed the implications of the Court's recent decision and its impact on voting rights and redistricting in Louisiana and beyond. 

SEALS is notably one of the legal conferences that provides support, networking opportunities and workshops for early-career legal scholars. Professors Hancock and Xu, for example, took part in various “New Scholar Workshops,” early-career opportunities for legal scholars to present works-in-progress for feedback and refinement. 

Forrester Fellow Travis Gray participated in the conference's professional development programming by leading a mock job talk, engaging in mock interviews and receiving helpful guidance from more experienced colleagues. 

Between sessions, Tulane Law faculty gathered for lunch with fellow conference participant Kushagr Bakshi, Murphy Visiting Assistant Professor of Law, and former Tulane Forrester Fellows Jessica Tueller and Kevin Schascheck, both of whom have roles in academia. Tueller is Associate Professor of Law at Oklahoma College of Law, and Schascheck is Assistant Professor of Law at the University of South Carolina Law School.  

The SEALS conference helps foster collaboration across a wide range of disciplines. Tulane Law's broad participation reflects the school's continued commitment to scholarship and leadership within legal academia.