Miles Charles Riley was born April 11, 1877, in Toronto, Canada. An attorney by training, Riley helped draft the Federal Trade Commission Act (1911), lectured at the University of Wisconsin (1917-1953), served as legislative draftsman for the Wisconsin State Reference Library (1909 to 1921), and was secretary of the Governors' Conference (1912-1923). He died in Dane County, Wisconsin on November 26, 1971.