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Meet Your Neighbor: Meet The Neighbor – Erika Pike Turner
By Callie Thomas
Imagine what life would be like without passion. It’s what spurs athletes to win, doctors to find a cure and men and women to do what’s right – whether it be for their fellow neighbor or for their own families. Living without passion is simply not an option for 89123 resident Erika Pike Turner. It’s evident in her passion as a wife and mother, in her job as a partner and litigator at Gordon Silver and in her work advocating for abused and neglected children in Nevada’s foster care system. In fact, Turner has been awarded many times over for her passion for giving a voice to those that do not have one. She’s received the Myra Williams Award for Pro Bono Services for Children, a Senator Harry Reid Commendation for Pro Bono Services and a United States Commendation for Pro Bono Service. She’s also regularly recognized by the Pro Bono Project for services that qualify her for the 50 Hours Club and 100 Hours Club.
The fourth generation Las Vegan is proud to be making a difference within the community and happily raising a fifth generation of caring, passionate people: her children Alexander and Cassandra with husband Brad. For the past fifteen years, Turner has helped her clients as a commercial litigator by aggressively pursuing their goals in court or through arbitration and mediation. Throughout the last decade she’s also provided her extensive knowledge and expertise free of charge to ensure that the children in the system know that the court and the “system” care about their wants, needs and dreams. Erika talks with us about what drives her, working with the Clark County foster care system and how success comes with perseverance and grit.
Why is giving back to the community so important to you?
“There are people that come in and out of Las Vegas, but the core that lives here with an intention to stay need to do something to help make the community better. This is my home and I am happy to volunteer my time.”
How did you become interested in working with the Clark County foster care system?
“My sister is a social worker. She works day in and day out with Nevada’s abused and neglected children and the frustrations of trying to get them the services or homes they need in the context of our broken and under-funded system. Hearing her stories, I resolved to help. I don’t think there is anything as important as helping a child, and the pro bono work I do for the Children’s Attorney Project is certainly the most important legal work I do.”
Any experiences that you could share?
“There are so many stories, but as a result of my obligation to keep communications with the kids confidential, I can never paint a complete enough picture for people to really appreciate the experience. Suffice it to say, people do horrible things to children, and despite some wonderful people opening up their hearts and homes, there is an enormous need for advocacy to ensure that these children have a chance at a better life.”
What accomplishments make you proud?
“I have many accomplishments in my career, most of them involving a client resolving a dispute, but there’s no accomplishment better than seeing my kids succeed.”
As a fourth generation Las Vegan, do you have a favorite Las Vegas moment?
“I can’t pick just one. April 4, 1998 at the top of the Rio (the VooDoo Lounge) when my husband clumsily asked me to marry him; going to Alpine Village restaurant when I was a kid and to Red Rock with my family for a Sunday morning hike and marveling at the beauty.”
You have said that with success comes laundry. Care to explain?
“Working so many hours and with a full house, I do an enormous amount of laundry. While it isn’t a hobby, it has certainly become a longstanding pastime.”
