Gerald Gordon

Founding Partner of Garman Turner Gordon, Member of the Dean’s Council at the Boyd School of Law

Tell me about your decision to serve on the Dean’s Council and what makes Boyd Law's mission meaningful to you.

It was a no-brainer to join the Dean’s Council when asked. When I attended law school, there was no choice; you had to attend out-of-state. Not only does Boyd Law provide an option that was not available to me, but it enhances the practice of law in Nevada by providing resources that can only be provided by a traditional law school. As a member of the Dean’s Council, I try to assist in this regard. Besides, our daughter, Sara, is a faculty member.

What was your first or most memorable job?

Not my first, but my most memorable job before practicing law was working the carnival games at Circus Circus during the summer before my senior year at UNLV. While I started out working various games, by the end of the summer I was the guy on the microphone who spent hours "cajoling" visitors into participating in such attractions as a jam auction. I learned that I had the ability to persuade people with words.

What advice would you give to current Boyd Law students?

My father, though successful in business, wanted to go to law school but was not able to do so. So, as a default, he decided that I should.  I remember as a child watching the television program, Divorce Court, as well as every other television program and motion picture about the profession. His business partners and friends were attorneys.  Other than a very brief flirtation with the idea of teaching, I never considered any other profession. I was lucky; the practice of law was the right decision for me. My advice to current students is to make sure that law is the right decision and not simply a fallback option. While a law school education can provide a valuable skill set, the actual practice of law is demanding and difficult.

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

For me, spare time is when I simply unwind; Yvonne (my wife), travel, wine, gardening, children and grandchildren, reading, puzzles.

Tell me about something you’ve read that has made a real difference to you.

My interests run to mysteries and history. Anything by Thomas Friedman has made a difference, but to answer this question as to a recent read, I have to be somewhat political; I have been reading Hitler: Ascent, 1889-1939 by Volker Ullrich. It illustrates the fragile nature of what we consider appropriate societal norms and human conduct.