Brian Frye

Brian L. Frye is the Spears-Gilbert Professor of Law at the J. David Rosenberg College of Law, University of Kentucky. He teaches intellectual property, copyright, civil procedure, and nonprofit organizations. Previously, he clerked for federal and state judges, practiced law at Sullivan & Cromwell, and held visiting professorships at Hofstra, Tulane, and others. His research focuses on intellectual property, legal history, and art market legal frameworks, with a notable emphasis on blockchain and plagiarism.

Education: J.D. from NYU School of Law (2005), M.F.A. from San Francisco Art Institute (1997), B.A. from UC Berkeley (1995).

Research interests include conceptual art in legal scholarship, museum deaccessioning, and the intersection of law and art. His documentary Our Nixon premiered at SXSW and is part of the Whitney Museum’s collection. He hosts the Ipse Dixit podcast, discussing legal scholarship with over 800 episodes.

Awards include inclusion in the 2002 Whitney Biennial and recognition for Our Nixon. Grants include projects on Holocaust reparations, non-marital property division, and legal history of landmark cases like Lochner v. New York.

Advising and grants highlight interdisciplinary work, with projects funded by the University of Kentucky’s Office of the Vice President for Research. Collaborations involve legal and artistic communities, reflecting his dual career as a scholar and filmmaker.