THE EARLY YEARS Royce was raised in a home that fostered concern for others and the belief that everyone deserves fair treatment and the opportunity to succeed in life. One of Royce's first examples was his father, who served children with disabilities as an Adapted Physical Education Teacher for the Orleans Parish School System. Royce also inherited an entrepreneurial spirit from his grandparents, who owned and operated a small corner grocery store during the 1950s-70s. He attended St. Augustine High School. Royce worked summers in high school as a bricklayer's assistant, and he supported himself by earning tips working as a busboy at Mandina's Restaurant while attending Xavier University.

DEDICATED CAREER After Hurricane Katrina, Royce immersed himself in rebuilding his community by serving as chief of staff to former New Orleans City Councilmember James Carter. He then moved to Washington, D.C. to attend Howard University School of Law, where he founded the Howard Energy and Environmental Law Society to advocate for environmental justice. He also worked as an intern at the Environmental Protection Agency and the White House Council on Environmental Quality. After serving as a law clerk for Judge Thomas J. Motley on the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, Royce returned home to practice energy law with a multinational law firm.

As special counsel for former Chief Justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court Bernette Johnson, Royce championed criminal justice reform after observing the human impact of inefficiencies and inequities in our criminal justice system. He worked to change the system by spearheading the management of a half-million-dollar grant to develop and adopt better practices for assessing and collecting court costs, fines, and fees. In addition, he fought to protect and preserve the character of New Orleans' historic neighborhoods as chairman of the New Orleans City Planning Commission, while nurturing social innovation and improving the quality of life for all residents. Royce now has his own legal practice, Duplessis Law Firm, he has had many successes primarily focusing on civil litigation.

GIVING BACK Since 2012, Royce has volunteered as a mentor to male teenagers through the nationally-renowned Silverback Society. He is a past president of the Louis A. Martinet Legal Society, Inc., and used his presidency to increase the society's commitment to legal access by conducting numerous free legal services and outreach clinics across New Orleans. He is also the co-founder and past president of the A.P. Tureaud, Sr. Legacy Committee, with the mission to honor the legacy of preeminent Louisiana civil rights attorney, A.P. Tureaud, Sr., and to educate the public about the remarkable contributions of other social justice heroes.

Royce is married to Krystle Ferbos Duplessis, and they are proud parents of one daughter, Reese. They reside in Central City.