Mayor, City of Houston, 2016-present

Representative, Texas State House of Representatives, 1988-2016

Candidate, Mayor of Houston, 1991, 2002, 2015

Speaker Pro Tempore, Texas State House of Representatives, 2003-2009

Former Member, Business and Industry Committee, Texas State House of Representatives

Co-Chair, Harris County Legislative Delegation

Former Vice Chair, House Appropriations Committee, Texas State House of Representatives

Former Member, House State Affairs Committee, Texas State House of Representatives

Former Member, Subcommittee on Current Fiscal Condition, Texas State house of Representatives

Chair, Texas Legislative Black Caucus

Founder/Attorney, Barnes and Turner, 1983-present

Associate Attorney, Fulbright and Jaworski

Seminar Lecturer, South Texas College of Law

Adjunct Professor, Thurgood Marshall School of Law

Seminar Lecturer, University of Houston Law School's Continuing Legal Education Program

Member, Acres Home Citizens Chamber of Commerce

Board Member, American Cancer Society

Member, Brookhollow Baptist Church

Member, Coalition for School Improvement

Member, United Negro College Fund