Legacy of justice

At 85 years young, Ralph G. Torres ’67 set an aggressive goal: to successfully litigate an employer’s rights case at 100. 

A first-generation graduate, Torres earned his bachelor’s in business administration and economics from NMSU and a law degree from the University of Denver in 1970. With 54 years of legal practice in Denver, he’s recognized as one of the West’s top lawyers in employment, labor discrimination and administrative law. His commitment to advocating for others led him to open doors for NMSU students, ensuring they had the same opportunities he did.

Born in Las Cruces just before the start of World War II, Torres’ parents divorced when he was a child, so he and his mother moved in with his grandfather. “Grandpa Pete” worked for El Paso Electric and the City of Las Cruces and often took young Ralph to the local courthouse to watch his favorite attorneys in action. 

“I remember pretending to be a cop as a kid, and grandpa would say, ‘Aim higher. Be an FBI agent.’ He always pushed me to be more,” Torres says.

Torres developed an interest in workers’ rights, studying business to understand the employees and employers he would later defend. After high school, NMSU was a natural next step. He enjoyed his classes, even his accounting course with legendary hard-nosed Professor Lionel Haight. 

“He once told a group of construction workers in the building, ‘You’d make more noise if you used a bigger hammer,’” Torres says. 

Indeed, that comment foreshadowed Torres’ professional success.

As an Aggie, Torres fully embraced campus life. He was a member of Tau Kappa Epsilon, served as vice president of activities for the Associated Students Commission, was a founding member of Delta Sigma Chi and participated in the Interfraternity Council. 

“My mother was a strong advocate for education and encouraged me to get involved,” he says.

Following his time at NMSU, Torres earned a law degree at DU on a full scholarship. Torres chose to remain in Denver, drawn by the city’s natural beauty. He spent 13 years as an attorney with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission representing the U.S. government in employment discrimination cases across federal courts in Colorado, New Mexico, Wyoming, Texas and Oklahoma. In 1986, he founded the Law Office of Ralph G. Torres and has been going full speed ahead ever since. 

One afternoon while commuting home from work on Bus 44, Torres met his wife, Lynn. She was the office manager for an oil company and later earned an MBA while working for Coors Brewing. Since then, they have been inseparable, supporting a mutual love for the arts, their faith community and causes close to their hearts. 

The couple is leaving a legacy at NMSU after their lifetimes so part of their estate will fund a scholarship for College of Business students. As a result, they joined NMSU’s 1888 Society, which recognizes alumni and friends who have committed gifts through a will, trust, insurance policy, retirement plan or other estate arrangement.

“I learned those values from my mother: ‘You have a duty.’

“To be truly successful, you must give of yourself. Have I made the world a better place as a result of the privileges I’ve had, or the honors bestowed upon me?” Torres says. “No one makes it on their own; we owe it to the next generation to bring them along.”