Aaron Rice

Aaron Rice is the Founder and CEO of American Dream Legal, leading the organization’s efforts to redeem the promise of the Dream for people in every corner of the country. 

Aaron has litigated numerous cases defending the right to pursue happiness. He is currently litigating a constitutional challenge to Mississippi’s certificate-of-need (CON) law, which grants a monopoly to existing home health providers, allowing them to line their pockets at the expense of patients and entrepreneurs. Some of his other work in this area has resulted in victories against anticompetitive regulations for eyebrow threaders, eyelash artists, weight-loss coaches, food truck owners, and telemedicine providers. He also participated in a U.S. Supreme Court case that blocked a requirement for small businesses to impose vaccine mandates on their employees, as well as a case that restored the right of food sellers to provide truthful information on their labels, despite oppressive labeling laws designed to shield rival companies from honest competition.

Aaron’s work has also focused on other personal and religious liberties that are essential to American life, including the right to life itself. He is currently leading litigation to overturn Pro-Choice Mississippi v. Fordice, a Mississippi Supreme Court decision which wrongly held that abortion is a “right” protected by the Mississippi Constitution. He has successfully defended the right to free speech, defeating an ordinance that criminalized pro-life conversations with women seeking abortions; and protected the right to bear arms, blocking a pandemic-era ban on the open carry of firearms. Aaron has also participated in litigation that claimed victory for religious liberty against a covid-related ban on drive-in church services; and an educational freedom case before the Mississippi Supreme Court that upheld the state’s charter school law.

In addition to his litigation efforts, Aaron has successfully advocated for legislative reforms outside the courtroom. In one such effort, he exposed a state agency’s habit of illegally confiscating private property, leading to the return of thousands of dollars’ worth of property to its rightful owners. He then led a grassroots campaign to prevent similar abuses, which culminated in the repeal of the state’s authority to take property without judicial oversight.

Aaron’s work has appeared in a wide variety of national media outlets, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post. His writing has been published by outlets including National Review, the Washington Examiner and many others, and his views on constitutional issues have been featured in numerous radio and television programs.

Prior to his legal career, Aaron answered the call to service in the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks, dropping out of college to enlist in the United States Marine Corps. He served with the 3rd Battalion, 25th Marines—the battalion that suffered the highest number of casualties of any in the war on terror—and received the Purple Heart for sustaining combat injuries resulting in the loss of his left leg below the knee. His story was later recounted in the pages of Sports Illustrated, which chronicled his perseverance and swift return to athletic endeavors.

Aaron earned his J.D., cum laude, from the University of Mississippi School of Law, and his B.A., magna cum laude, in political science from Mississippi State University. He is a recipient of the Truman Scholarship, the premier national scholarship in the U.S. for public service leaders; the Buckley Award, which recognizes above-and-beyond service to the conservative movement; and has been honored by MS Top 50 for being one of Mississippi’s most influential leaders.