BATON ROUGE – LSU Law Professor Tracy L. M. Norton, a renowned leader in the fields of legal writing and legal education, has been selected as the 2026 recipient of the Technology Mentorship Award by the Association of American Law Schools (AALS) Technology, Law and Legal Education section.
“I’m deeply honored to receive this recognition,” said Norton, who joined the LSU Law faculty in 2022. “I began my academic career when electronic research and the Internet were just becoming significant forces in legal practice, and throughout my career I’ve embraced technology as one way to create more time for the conversations and experiences that require human judgment and compassion.”
Interactive Citation Workbook
For more than 25 years, Norton has been at the forefront of the intersection of legal education and technology. In 1999, she co-developed the Interactive Citation Workbook, an interactive digital tool to help students learn citations. The ICW is now used in more than half of American law schools.
AI Sandbox
Most recently, she launched The Law Profs’ AI Sandbox with co-developers LSU Law Professor Will Monroe and former LSU Law Professor Susan Tanner (now on the faculty of the University of Louisville Brandeis School of Law). The sandbox is a comprehensive online resource designed to encourage law professors to explore the use of AI in their courses and their day-to-day lives. Since the launch in early 2025, the Sandbox Team has expanded to include LSU Law Professor Aimee Self Pittman and University of Oklahoma College of Law Director of Technology & Innovation Sean Harrington.
“What excites me most about generative AI is working with colleagues, students, and members of the bench and bar to leverage this powerful technology so we can focus on what matters most—the deeply human work of the law,” said Norton.
Third Law Professor to Receive Award
Norton will accept the award at the AALS Annual Meeting in New Orleans on Jan. 7. She is only the third law professor to receive this award, which honors individuals who have made significant and sustained contributions to mentoring colleagues through the evolving landscape of technology in legal education.
Prominent Speaker
Norton is a sought-after speaker on the effective use of generative AI in legal practice and education, having presented to local, state, and national bar associations, government agencies, and continuing legal education programs nationwide. She has addressed law school administrators and faculty at prestigious forums, including the American Bar Association’s Annual Associate Deans Conference, where she shared best practices for integrating generative AI into legal curricula.
LSU Faculty Senate AI Committee
Norton also serves on the LSU Faculty Senate’s Artificial Intelligence Committee, where she plays a key role in developing guidelines for AI integration across the LSU System. She has also appeared in mainstream media like the Lawyerist Podcast to discuss the adoption of AI in the legal field and how law schools can adequately prepare students to use AI in their practice.
“Professor Norton is an innovative teacher, amazing mentor, and valued colleague. Our LSU Law community is extremely proud of her accomplishments, and we’re excited to see her efforts being recognized by the AALS,” said LSU Law Interim Dean Caprice Roberts.
Career Background
Norton started her career in academia in 1997 at Texas Tech University School of Law, where she remained until 2001, when she joined the faculty at South Texas College of Law. She moved from South Texas College of Law to Touro University Law Center in Long Island, New York in 2007. Prior to teaching, Norton practiced criminal law in Texas for three years. She majored in political science at the University of North Texas before earning her juris doctor from Baylor University School of Law in 1994.
About AALS
AALS is an institutional membership organization that aims to improve legal education in America. Its section on Technology, Law and Legal Education was created to promote scholarship and activities that use technology to enhance legal education in addition to making recommendations on how technology impacts teaching and the practice of law.