Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Welch practiced commercial litigation in the San Francisco office of Foley & Lardner LLP, where he represented public and corporate clients in contract, antitrust, unfair competition, and consumer matters. While pursuing his J.D. at the University of California Hastings College of the Law (cum laude, 2003), he served as an extern to the Hon. Phyllis Hamilton, United States District Court for the Northern District of California, and was the Executive Editor of the Hastings Law News.

Mr. Welch received his bachelor's degree in political science from Brown University in 1996, and began his career as a senior consultant for Andersen Consulting (Accenture).