ALUMNI INTERVIEW: KYLE WELDON ‘18

Kyle WeldonKyle Weldon, a Texas A&M University School of Law 2018 graduate, spoke virtually with the Texas A&M Agricultural Law Society in March, 2021. Weldon is currently a litigation associate at Harris, Bogle, and Finley in Fort Worth, Texas.

Prior to law school, Weldon designed premium supplements for a cattle feed company, having received both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Animal Science. This work piqued his interest in law for two distinct reasons. First, it required him to stay informed of all regulations governing the antibiotics the company sold. Second, his conversations with local farmers alerted him to the various legal problems they faced, such as easements, estate planning, and pipeline contracts.

While working towards his JD at A&M Law, Weldon worked directly with adjunct professors Jim Bradbury and Tiffany Dowell Lashmet on a handbook for Texas farmers and ranchers. The handbook centers on fence law and regulation in Texas and is currently available on the Texas A&M Agrilife Extension website. Weldon was also heavily involved in the Agricultural Law Society. He emphasized the importance of taking one of A&M’s natural resource classes and how important those classes were in crafting his love of natural resource law. He also urged students to take as many writing classes as possible to learn “the backbone of legal practice.”

Weldon has now enjoyed three years at Harris, Bogle, and Finley working in oil and gas litigation. Before the pandemic, Weldon noted that he got to travel around the United States interviewing and deposing clients about their oil and gas issues. Now they come to him. He was also happy to report that he has been back in the office since June 2020, following strict protocols.

Students, on the cusp of graduation, had several questions as to how the pandemic will affect the legal profession. Weldon noted that everyone in the legal field has been striving to maintain normal life as best as possible. He has been impressed by the benefits of some of the online changes and suggested that students take advantage of previously out-of-reach CLE and legal events being held virtually, such as the American Agricultural Associations’ webinars.

Weldon also recommended students stay up to date on the transition from the Trump to Biden administration as recent graduates will likely be responsible for understanding the implications of those changes.