Speaker

Bullock Ward Mason

Speaker Bio

Breean “B.W.” Walas is a trial lawyer and brief writer with extensive experience at the state and federal level. He is admitted to practice law in Illinois (2005) and Arkansas (2006), as well as in the United States Supreme Court, the Eighth and Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the Eastern and Western Districts of Arkansas. For the first three years of his career, B.W. clerked for Justice Donald L. Corbin at the Arkansas Supreme Court. Since then, his practice has focused on supporting other trial attorneys in all phases of litigation, primarily as a brief writer and appellate advocate.

B.W. has a passion for social justice and believes in protecting individuals who’ve been harmed by others or the system. He is active in the Arkansas Trial Lawyers Association (ATLA), currently serving as president (2023–2024). He is a member of the American Association of Justice, where he serves on the executive committee of the LGBT Caucus, as well as a member of the Arkansas Bar Association, National LGBT Bar Association, National Civil Justice Institute, and Public Justice. He also provides support to local and national organizations protecting everyone’s constitutional rights and civil liberties. B.W. is a recipient of the ACLU of Arkansas’s Distinguished Service Award, ATLA Outstanding Member—Young Lawyers Division Award, ATLA President’s Award, and National LGBTQ+ Bar Association 40 Best LGBTQ+ Lawyers Under 40 Award. Prior to practicing law, he received a J.D. from the University of Cincinnati College of Law and graduated from Cornell University with a B.A. in American Studies. B.W. was the recipient of the WBCA’s Charles T. Stoner Law Scholarship (2002), Academic All-Ivy honors (2002), and the Ivy League Rookie of the Year (Women’s Basketball, 1998–1999).