Sherry Kollmann Chancellor of NMSU Global | nmsu.edu
Sherry Kollmann Chancellor of NMSU Global | nmsu.edu
At 85, Ralph G. Torres has set an ambitious goal: to litigate an employer's rights case at the age of 100. Torres, a first-generation graduate, completed his bachelor's degree in business administration and economics from New Mexico State University (NMSU) in 1967 and obtained a law degree from the University of Denver in 1970. With over five decades of legal practice in Denver, he is recognized as one of the West's leading lawyers in employment, labor discrimination, and administrative law.
Torres was born in Las Cruces before World War II. Following his parents' divorce during his childhood, he moved with his mother to live with his grandfather. "Grandpa Pete" worked for El Paso Electric and the City of Las Cruces and often took young Ralph to watch attorneys at the local courthouse.
“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 said.
His interest in workers' rights led him to study business to better understand both employees and employers. After high school, NMSU became a natural choice for further education. Torres actively participated in campus life through organizations like Tau Kappa Epsilon and Delta Sigma Chi.
“My mother was a strong advocate for education and encouraged me to get involved,” he said.
After NMSU, Torres earned his law degree on a full scholarship at DU and chose to stay in Denver due to its natural beauty. He spent 13 years with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission representing the U.S. government in employment discrimination cases across several states before founding his own law office in 1986.
Torres met his wife Lynn while commuting home on Bus 44. Lynn worked as an office manager for an oil company before earning her MBA while working for Coors Brewing. The couple shares interests in arts and community causes.
The couple plans to leave part of their estate as a scholarship fund for College of Business students at NMSU, joining NMSU’s 1888 Society which honors those who have committed gifts through various estate arrangements.
“I learned those values from my mother: ‘You have a duty.’ To be truly successful, you must give of yourself," Torres stated. "No one makes it on their own; we owe it to the next generation to bring them along.”
A version of this story appeared in Panorama's fall 2024 issue.
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