He attended Public School Number. He graduated from the College of the City of New York and New York University School of Law.
147 and Boys High School. He was admitted to the bar in 1928, and practiced law in New York City. He was Chairman of the Committee on the Judiciary from 1965 to 1968.
He died on December 19, 1980, in Brookdale Medical Center in Brooklyn.
Turshen was a member of the New York State Assembly from 1937 to 1968, sitting in the 160th, 161st, 162nd, 163rd, 164th, 165th, 166th, 167th, 168th, 169th, 170th, 171st, 172nd, 173rd, 174th, 175th, 176th and 177th New York State Legislatures.