Scott Turow

Scott Frederick Turow was born on April 12, 1949, in Chicago, Illinois. He pursued his education at Amherst College, graduating in 1970, and later attended Stanford University’s Creative Writing Center from 1970 to 1972. His interest in law, sparked while writing a novel about a rent strike, led him to Harvard Law School, where he earned his Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree cum laude in 1978. During his time at Harvard, he wrote “One L” (1977), a non-fiction book detailing his first year of law school, which remains a notable work for legal students. Following his legal education, Turow served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in Chicago from 1978 to 1986, where he prosecuted high-profile corruption cases, including the tax fraud case of state Attorney General William Scott, and was lead counsel in Operation Greylord, an investigation into judicial corruption in Illinois.

After leaving the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Turow transitioned into a career as a novelist, achieving significant success with his legal thrillers set in the fictional Kindle County. His debut novel, “Presumed Innocent” (1987), quickly became a bestseller and was later adapted into a successful film. This was followed by other critically acclaimed works such as “The Burden of Proof” (1990), “Pleading Guilty” (1993), and “Personal Injuries” (1999), the latter being named the Best Fiction Novel of 1999 by Time magazine. His books have been translated into over 40 languages and have sold more than 30 million copies worldwide. In addition to his literary achievements, Turow has maintained an active legal career, becoming a retired partner at the international law firm Dentons (formerly Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal).

Turow has also dedicated substantial effort to pro bono work and legal reform. In 1995, he secured the release of Alejandro Hernandez, a man wrongly convicted and imprisoned for 11 years. He was appointed to the commission considering the reform of the Illinois death penalty by Governor George Ryan and served as the first Chair of the Illinois Executive Ethics Commission. From 2010 to 2014, he served as the President of the Authors Guild, advocating for authors’ rights and a sustainable livelihood for writers. He was inducted as a Laureate of The Lincoln Academy of Illinois in 2000 for his contributions to communications and received the Fuller Award for Lifetime Achievement from the Chicago Literary Hall of Fame in 2023.