Dr. Orvis earned his PhD in Political Science from the University of Houston and his JD in Law from Tulane University. He practiced law for many years in New Orleans, before pursuing a teaching career first as an Assistant Professor at the University of Alabama in Birmingham and then as an Associate Professor at the University of Texas in Tyler. His research interests are primarily in Constitutional Law and Ethics. Dr. Orvis has published over a score of articles, some in such prestigious journals as American Journal of Criminal Justice, Justice Quarterly, and Harvard Law and Policy Review.