In Memoriam: John Purvis '68

John Anderson Purvis '68, a highly respected attorney, educator, and leader in Colorado’s legal community, died December 21, 2024, at the age of 82, surrounded by family. 

Born in Greeley, Colorado, Purvis graduated from Harvard University cum laude in 1965 before earning his JD from the University of Colorado Law School in 1968. He began his career in the Boulder County Public Defender’s Office, later establishing a private practice dedicated largely to representing brain injury victims. Purvis remained a practicing attorney until the year he died.

His professional service included chairing the Committee on Conduct of the U.S. District Court in Colorado, the Litigation Council of the Colorado Bar Association, and the Colorado Public Defender Commission. He also shared his expertise with future lawyers, teaching Evidence and Trial Advocacy at Colorado Law. 

Purvis was a member and elected fellow of the International Society of Barristers, International Academy of Trial Lawyers, American College of Trial Lawyers, and American Board of Trial Advocates. In 1997, he received Colorado Law’s Distinguished Achievement Award, and in 2019, its highest honor, the William Lee Knous Award.

Beyond his professional achievements, Purvis will be remembered for his humor, zest for life, and devotion to family.