Prior to joining the Pepperdine University in 2008, Childress was associated with the international law firm Jones Day in Washington, DC, as a member of their Issues and Appeals practice, where he focused on Supreme Court litigation, general appellate litigation and significant motions practice in trial litigation. Before entering private practice, he clerked for the Hon. Paul V. Niemeyer on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. His academic writings have appeared in various United State law reviews, such as the Duke Law Journal, the Northwestern Law Review and the UC Davis Law Review.