[2] In 1977, Turley joined Ernst & Young in the US firm's Houston office and served as chairman and CEO from July 2001 to June 2013.

[2][4][7] Turley has co-chaired the Russia Foreign Investment Advisory Council[3] and has served on the board of directors of Citigroup,[8] Emerson Electric, Intrexon, Northrop Grumman Corporation,[9] Boy Scouts of America, Catalyst, the National Corporate Theater Fund, and on the board of trustees of his alma mater, Rice University.

[10] Turley is married to Lynne Pounds from Kirkwood, a suburb of St. Louis, Missouri.

[4] Upon Turley's retirement, Rice University’s Jones School announced the launch of the James S. Turley-Ernst & Young Leadership Development Initiative that focusses on accounting education.

[15] In 2012, Turley was the first member of the Boy Scouts of America Executive Board to come out in public disapproval of its policy of excluding gays.