Brett Ries received his J.D., cum laude, from Duke University School of Law in 2023, where he served as the Senior Online Editor of the Duke Law Journal and as a member of the Moot Court Board. He also received the James S. Bidlake Memorial Award for Superior Achievement in Legal Analysis, Research & Writing. Prior to attending Duke, Brett received his Bachelor of Arts degree, summa cum laude and with Honors, from the University of South Dakota in 2020, where he double-majored in Political Science and Criminal Justice with a Minor in Theatre.

Brett’s legal publications regarding the intersection of LGBTQ+ issues and constitutional law have been recognized nationally. In 2023, he won the National LGBTQ+ Bar Association’s Michael Greenberg Writing Competition with his First Amendment analysis of legislation introduced nationwide attempting to ban or limit drag performances.

Brett has also dedicated substantial time to pro bono matters involving asylum proceedings, Section 1983 litigation, and death penalty post-conviction proceedings. He has been named to DC’s Capital Pro Bono Honor Roll with High Honors every year he has been in practice.

Publications

• Not Up For Deliberation: Expanding the Peña-Rodriguez Protection To Cover Jury Bias Against LGBTQ+ Individuals, 72 Duke L.J. 1567 (2023) (Runner-Up, 2022 ACS Constance Baker Motley National Student Writing Competition).
• Looking Backward To Move Forward: Ending the “History and Tradition” of Gun Violence Against the LGBTQ+ Community, 73 Duke L.J. Online 119 (2023) (Finalist, 2023 ACS Constance Baker Motley National Student Writing Competition).
• Don’t Be A Drag: How Drag Bans Can Violate the First Amendment, 33 Tulane J.L. & Sexuality 1 (2025) (Winner, 2023 LGBTQ+ Bar Association’s Michael Greenberg Writing Competition).