Richard Ray Friess was born in Salt Lake City, Utah on August 23, 1979. He grew up in Salt Lake and graduated from West High School in 1997. He attended Snow College in Ephraim, Utah and received his Associate of Science degree in 2002. Mr. Friess then enrolled at the University of Utah where he received a departmental scholarship and was on the Dean's List. He graduated from the University of Utah with a Bachelor's degree in Economics in 2004.

After graduating from the University of Utah, Mr. Friess began law school at the University of Nebraska College of Law in Lincoln, Nebraska and graduated in May 2007. During law school Mr. Friess worked as a research assistant and as a law clerk at the Lancaster County Attorney's office.

After graduating from the University of Nebraska College of Law, Mr. Friess worked as a judicial law clerk for the Honorable David C. Nye of the Sixth Judicial District Court in Pocatello, Idaho. In May 2008, Mr. Friess joined Thomsen Stephens Law Offices, PLLC as an associate attorney. He practices in the areas of general litigation, insurance defense, medical malpractice defense, construction litigation, commercial litigation, personal injury, and criminal defense.

Mr. Friess is a member of the Idaho Association of Defense Counsel and the Seventh District Bar Association and is currently licensed to practice law in Idaho State Courts and the Federal District Court for the District of Idaho.