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UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON LAW CENTER

REMEMBERS PROFESSOR RONALD TURNER

niversity of Houston Law Center Professor of his circumstances. I am not suggesting this
URonald Turner passed away in June. He achievement go on his tombstone – it will
was 66 years old. be a very crowded monument indeed if all
Turner graduated magna cum laude from of his accomplishments are listed – but it is
Wilberforce University in 1980 and received emblematic of his commitment to fairness and
his law degree from the University of an indomitable work ethic in matters large
Pennsylvania Law School in 1984. and small.”
Turner joined the Law Center faculty in 1998 “As Associate Dean many years ago, I recall
and was the A.A. White Professor of Law. He reading some of his student evaluations and
was the first African-American full professor marveling at how many students decided
in the Law Center’s history. Before joining the to practice Employment Law or Labor Law
Law Center, he served as a labor-management because Ron had inspired in them a passion
relations examiner with the National Labor for the subject,” said Professor Sandra Guerra
Relations Board, practiced law in Chicago, and Thompson, the Newell H. Blakely Chair. “I will
taught at the University of Alabama School really miss his mischievous smile as he recalled
of Law. classroom exchanges and how he put students
on the spot in a way that really challenged
“Professor Turner was cherished by our them to consider an issue from a different
students,” said Dean Leonard M. Baynes. “He perspective. He could make students squirm as
was a noted scholar often publishing in top 30 law Professor Ronald Turner he challenged them to broaden their thinking,
reviews and the author of several casebooks. He and they loved him for it. That was part of the
was also an excellent teacher who was able to get students to discuss genius of his teaching.”
complex and sensitive issues in a productive manner in his classes.” “The loss of Ron Turner is a crippling body blow to all who knew,
Turner specialized in labor law, employment law, constitutional loved, and respected him for his towering employment law and
law, and taught employment discrimination, labor law, torts, critical race theory scholarship,” said Emeritus Professor and William
constitutional law, and a course on HIV/AIDS and the law. B. Bates Distinguished Chair in Law Michael A. Olivas. “His passing
A former research associate at the Industrial Research Unit at the also should serve as a reminder to check in on friends and colleagues.
University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business, Turner also I will always regret not having done so, as I had not known of
served as a contributing editor for the AIDS & Public Policy Journal. his illness.”
His numerous publications included books and articles on labor “The news of the loss of Ron Turner brings such grief and sadness,”
and employment law issues, AIDS, and hate speech. He was also a said Texas A&M University School of Law Professor Michael Z.
Visiting Professor of Law at the College of William & Mary Marshall- Green. “Ron’s skills and talents are unique in this community. He
Wythe School of Law and was a Visiting Professor of History at is one of a few people primarily focused on being a workplace law
Rice University. scholar but also versed in and dedicated to issues of race. He was
Turner’s Law Center colleagues, and legal academics from across the an endless worker, and his scholarship was always interesting and
country paid tribute to his teaching excellence in the classroom and insightful. He was smart and funny and when you needed him he was
his generosity outside of it. there for you to learn from and be advised by and to grow with as
“Ron touched many people in so many ways,” said Professor Seth needed. May he rest in peace.”
Chandler. “One thing I think about is his dedication to the promotion “Ron was a great scholar and, more importantly, a great person,” said
and tenure process at the Law Center. Ron did the work it took to Angela Onwuachi-Willig, Dean and Ryan Gallo and Ernest J. Gallo
evaluate all candidates fairly and to write complete reports regardless Professor of Law at the Boston University School of Law. “He will be

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