R. Thurman Barnes
Chief of Staff to the Speaker
tbarnes@njleg.org
Responsiblities
R. Thurman Barnes is the Chief of Staff to Speaker Sheila Y. Oliver and is a senior staff member of the Assembly Majority Office, advising the Assembly Democratic Caucus on public policy initiatives.
Mr. Barnes serves as the Democratic Aide to the Assembly Commerce and Economic Development and Military and Veterans' Afairs committees.
Background
While a visiting student at the Emory University School of Law in Atlanta, Mr. Barnes participated in the Barton Child Law & Policy Clinic, where he worked on child welfare regulations, kinship care issues and the Individuals with Disabilities Act.
In addition, Mr. Barnes worked for the Child Advocacy Clinic at the Rutgers School of Law, Newark and for the Essex County Prosecutor's Office, where his time was divided between appellate brief writing and a specialized unit that prosecuted members of criminal street gangs.
Mr. Barnes first came to the Assembly Majority Office in 2006 as a policy analyst. In that capacity, he advised and served Assembly Democratic legislators by crafting, researching and coordinating public policy initiatives.
In 2008, Mr. Barnes became Chief of Staff to then-Majority Leader Watson Coleman.
In 2010, he became Chief of Staff to Speaker Oliver.
Education
Mr. Barnes graduated cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in history from UCLA. He obtained his law degree from Rutgers School of Law, Newark.