Martha F. Davis

Martha F. Davis is the University Distinguished Professor of Law at Northeastern University School of Law. She holds leadership roles as Co-Director of the Center for Global Law and Justice, Co-Director of the Program on Human Rights and the Global Economy, and Faculty Director of NuLawLab. Her expertise spans human rights, constitutional law, gender justice, and poverty law. She earned degrees from Harvard University (AB, 1979), Trinity College, Oxford (MA, 1981), and the University of Chicago (JD, 1983).

Her research focuses on domestic and global human rights advocacy, including water justice, reproductive rights, and intersectional equity. She has authored/co-edited influential works such as Bringing Human Rights Home and Global Urban Justice. Davis has held prestigious fellowships, including Fulbright awards at Lund University and the Carr Center for Human Rights Policy.

Awards include the William R. Boggess Award (2021) and recognition for her work on welfare rights and legal ethics. She actively contributes to initiatives like HumanRight2Water and the Brennan Center’s State Court Report. Her interdisciplinary approach integrates legal practice, policy, and education to advance social justice globally.