John Lyons

John Lyons is a distinguished figure in the Law faculty at The University of Arizona, where he served as Dean of the College of Law from 1947 to 1966. A 1932 alumnus of the University of Arizona College of Law and former president of the student body, Lyons commenced his legal career in September 1932 upon admission to the Arizona Bar, partnering with prominent barrister E. T. Cusick to form the firm Cusick & Lyons, which operated for approximately seven years. In 1939, he assumed the role of City Attorney for Tucson on a part-time basis while maintaining his private practice. Appointed to the Superior Court bench in 1945, he served until transitioning to academia in 1947. During his tenure as dean, Lyons taught courses in contracts, remedies, equity, and conservation law, shaping the institution over nearly two decades. He continued as a full-time professor until his retirement in 1973, having been a member of the Arizona Bar for 41 years. Additionally, Lyons temporarily served on the U.S. Wage Stabilization Board in 1951 amid the Korean War.