Celebrating the Legacy of Paul Turley ’73
It’s a story about Paul Turley ’73 and the State Democracy Research Initiative (SDRI).
That’s what Barbara Arnold ’76 said when asked what prompted her recent gift to University of Wisconsin Law School.
Barbara and Paul were attending law school in the early- to mid-1970s. It was a time “when the rule of law was the vehicle for addressing the corruption of the Nixon administration,” she explained.
“In that context, law school taught us how important the rule of law is as a foundation for our national values,” Barbara continued. “There were a lot of things going on at that time.”
Barbara and Paul met in 1971 when they were both working part time in the Wisconsin Department of Justice’s Office of Consumer Protection. Paul was a law clerk, and Barbara provided clerical support to the group of law clerks. After graduating from UW Law, Paul joined the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Shortly after graduating, Barbara also joined the FTC. By 1982, they were both in management positions and both divorced.
“We were frequently in meetings together,” Barbara recalled. “Over time, we became good friends, and, by the spring of 1983, it was more.”
They married in July 1983 in Barbara’s backyard in Cleveland Heights, Ohio. Their honeymoon was moving to Los Angeles, Calif.
By the late 1980s, Paul had left the FTC for the LA County District Attorney’s Office, and Barbara had
left a major commercial law firm to go inhouse with Toyota. Paul loved his career with the DA’s office, Barbara said.
“He felt that he did more for doing justice in the role of being a prosecutor than being either a defense lawyer or judge,” she explained.
Paul was instrumental in several high-visibility cases in the DA’s office in the late ’80s and early ’90s.
“During the Savings & Loan crisis, he was instrumental in convicting Charles Keating of criminal fraud with respect to the S&L that his company owned, Lincoln Savings and Loan,” she explained.
The trial and conviction were covered in the national press.
Two years later, Paul tried a murder case that relied on 30-year-old fingerprints and the use of a computer to identify a murder suspect decades after the crime.
“This was new territory in those days,” Barbara said. “’60 Minutes’ filmed the trial and did a segment on it. Paul got the conviction. He was certain the reason ’60 Minutes’ was there was because they thought the defendant was innocent and the technology was faulty.”
When Paul passed away in March 2024, Barbara sought ways to pay tribute to his memory.
“Paul was a minister for a few years before attending UW Law,” Barbara explained. “He held very strong beliefs about right and wrong as well as a commitment to the law. Paul was proud to be a strong advocate for what he thought was right.”
When exploring opportunities, Barbara came across an article about SDRI in an edition of the Gargoyle.
“It resonated with me,” she said. “SDRI is action-oriented, and that was important to me. And Paul always saw himself as fighting for good. I see SDRI as also fighting the good fight. This was a passion area for Paul, not his practice area, so when he passed, it felt right.”
Founded by faculty co-directors Miriam Seifter and Robert Yablon, SDRI seeks to advance research and dialogue on state-level democracy, government institutions and public law across the nation. By focusing on the states, which traditionally receive less attention than the federal government in legal circles, the initiative serves as a much-needed resource for academics, courts, policymakers, advocates and the public.
“Law School taught us how important the rule of law is as a foundation for our national values.”
“After learning more about SDRI, I realized the roles state courts and state constitutions can play and how much they have been underutilized over the years,” said Barbara. “State laws and constitutions give us important tools in the fight against the various forces attacking our democracy and its most important pillar, the rule of law.”
Barbara said Paul would be “honored and proud” to be affiliated with an organization of SDRI’s caliber.
“We are so grateful to Barbara for her gift in memory of her husband, Paul,” said Bree Grossi Wilde, SDRI executive director. “We endeavor for this gift to serve as a meaningful tribute to him.”
The gift, said Wilde, supports SDRI’s efforts to build bridges between academics and practitioners working on democracy issues and to offer a scholarly perspective to state courts through amicus briefs in democracy-related cases.
Barbara hopes her gift will encourage others to learn more about SDRI and its work.
“The more you know, the more you understand why protecting our rights through state laws and the state courts is so important,” she said.
UW Law is profoundly grateful to Barbara for her generous support, said Elizabeth Feist, managing senior director of development at the Law School.
“Her gift honors the legacy of her late husband, Paul, whose wisdom and dedication as a Board of Visitors member continue to inspire us all,” she continued.
Barbara said her gift is “entirely consistent with the values by which Paul lived his life.”
“I think he would be proud to know that his advocacy will continue in some small way,” she said.
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