Mr. Ress received his Bachelor of Arts in Government and International Relations from New York University in 1965, and a Doctor of Laws from Cornell University in 1968. He was in private law practice in Connecticut and California from 1968 to 1983, was a founding partner of the Beverly Hills law firm of Ray, Rolston & Ress, and served as Vice President and General Counsel of Shapell Industries, Inc., then one of the largest real estate developers in California. In 1985, Mr. Ress joined the Office of the General Counsel of the Navy as Counsel to the Commander, Marine Corps Air Bases, Western Area, and served at Marine Corps Air Stations El Toro and Miramar, where he handled installation law matters including real estate, land use, environmental law and civilian personnel law

Mr. Ress served with the U.S. Army Reserve before receiving his commission in the Judge Advocate General’s Corps, U. S. Naval Reserve, in 1983. He was recalled to active duty during Operation Desert Storm, and his various Reserve assignments included tours of duty as Commanding Officer of Naval Reserve Legal Service Office Northwest 222, Portland, Oregon, and as Staff Judge Advocate for the Third Naval Construction Brigade, Port Hueneme, California. He completed his military service as the senior Naval Reserve Judge Advocate in Europe and retired with the rank of Captain in 2005