Judge Darrel Papillion to Present 2026 Rubin Lecture at LSU Law
U.S. District Judge Darrel Papillion of the Eastern District of Louisiana will deliver the 2026 Rubin Visiting Professor of Law Lecture on Thursday, Feb. 5, at 5:30 p.m. at the Lod Cook Alumni Center in Baton Rouge.
Judge Papillion’s lecture, titled “Immortal: The Life and Legal Legacy of Judge Alvin B. Rubin,” will examine the enduring influence of the late Judge Alvin B. Rubin, for whom the annual lecture series is named. The event is free and open to the public.
Judge Rubin was nominated by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1966 to fill a newly created seat on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana. He joined the federal bench during the height of the Civil Rights Movement and presided over numerous desegregation and civil rights cases throughout the 1960s. In 1977, President Jimmy Carter nominated Rubin to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit, where he served until his death in 1991.
In addition to his judicial service, Judge Rubin maintained a long-standing connection to legal education, teaching as an adjunct professor at LSU Law for 43 years, including during his time on the federal bench.
Judge Papillion’s career mirrors that dual commitment to the judiciary and legal education. Appointed to the Eastern District of Louisiana in 2023, he also serves as an adjunct professor at LSU Law. A graduate of LSU Law, Judge Papillion has said there is “no higher honor” than being invited by his alma mater to deliver the Rubin Lecture.
Click here for additional information about the lecture and RSVP details which are also available on the LSU Law website.