Patrick F. Welch

Bar Admissions

• Arizona
• Massachusetts
• Nevada

Court Admissions

• Supreme Court of Arizona
• United States Court of Appeals, First Circuit
• United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
• United States District Court, District of Arizona
• United States District Court, District of Colorado
• United States District Court, District of Massachusetts
• United States District Court, District of Nevada

Education

• New England School of Law (J.D.)
• Connecticut College (B.A., International Relations and Economics)
• Vietnam National University, Hanoi, Vietnam (Vietnamese Language Immersion Program)
• Universidad Complutense de Madrid / Institute of European Studies, Madrid, Spain (Economics Department and Spanish Immersion Program)

Languages

Japanese (Elementary Proficiency)
Spanish (Professional Working Proficiency)
Vietnamese (Limited Proficiency)

Awards & Recognition

• The Best Lawyers in America^®, Litigation – Construction (2025-2026)

Representative Experience

Construction and Surety 

• Represented owners, general contractors, and subcontractor in construction-related litigation, including breach of contract, delay, professional negligence, and indemnity claims
• Represented surety clients in investigating and defending claims made against various forms of surety bonds, including contract performance and payment bonds, bid bonds, subdivisions bonds, and statutory bonds (e.g., motor vehicle dealer bonds, contractor license bonds, mortgage broker bonds, etc.)
• Represented surety clients in indemnity recovery actions
• Consulted surety clients on takeover agreements, tender agreements, collateral security and assignment agreements, and indemnity agreements
• Represented general contractor in payment dispute with surety and U.S. Army Corp of Engineers involving federal contract
• Represented 8(a) Small Business Administration (SBA) general contractor in dispute with its joint venture partner and mentor involving entities performing work under federal contracts
• Represented homeowners with respect to Arizona’s Purchaser Dwelling Act claims and Arizona Registrar of Contractor complaints

Cross-Border

• Negotiated and documented real property transactions, including sales and acquisitions of residential and commercial properties
• Advised U.S. investor group concerning agreement for the development of a luxury time-share project along the Pacific Coast of Mexico
• Advised U.S. contractors in connection with due diligence and bidding on public construction project in Mexico
• Advised U.S. sureties in connection with construction bond defaults in Mexico and related indemnity recovery actions in the United States
• Advised U.S. surety on dynamics of Mexican surety market and potential acquisition candidates and provided recommendation on due diligence
• Represented U.S.-based food manufacturer in connection with cross-border commercial dispute with Mexican customer
• Advised Mexican individuals and entities concerning business formation in the United States
• Advised U.S. company in connection to near shoring operations in Sonora, Mexico, including entity formation, lease agreement, and related tax planning

Previous Professional Experience

• Jennings, Strouss & Salmon, PLC, Member, Member; Associate
• Mann Berens & Wisner, LLP, Associate
• Berman DeValerio Pease Tabacco Burt & Pucillo, Associate
• Mitsubishi International Corporation, National Sales/Purchase Representative

Professional Memberships and Activities

• Surety Claims Institute, Member
• Arizona Surety Association, Member
• Lambda Alpha International (“LAI”) – Founding member of Sonoran Desert Chapter, Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico
• Arizona Town Hall
  • Volunteer and International Committee Member (2017-Present)
  • Board Member (2017-2025)
• Arizona Mexico Commission, Delegate (2012-Present)

Community Involvement

• The Society of St. Vincent de Paul, Volunteer (2015-Present)
  • Co-Founder of the Health, Wellness, and Sustainability Passport Program (May 2022)
  • Legal Clinic, Volunteer (2015-2020)
• Coyotes Development Youth Ice Hockey Program (2011-Present)
• USA Hockey (2011-Present)
  • Level 4 Coach Certification
  • Level 2 Referee Certification

Representative Presentations and Publications

Publications 

• “New Tariff Policy Amplifies the United States’ Efforts To Bolster Nearshoring Strategy,” Co-Author, Snell & Wilmer Legal Alert (May 28, 2024)
• “Practice Pointer – Don’t Overlook The Importance of Intercultural Communication,” Author, Quarterly Newsletter, American Bar Association, Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section, Fidelity & Surety Law (Fall 2020)
• “Arizona-Mexico Town Hall in Hermosillo explores importance of cross-border resources,” Guest Contributor, Chamber Business News (October 2019)
• “Respective Economic Society Chapters Cheer Arizona-Mexico Manufacturing,” Quoted, Chamber Business News (2019)
• “Strengthening Arizona-Mexico relationships: Q&A with Patrick Welch,” Featured, Arizona Capitol Times (2017)
• “Viewpoints: Arizona Can’t Be Last to Make Nice with Mexico,” Co-Author, Arizona Republic (2016)
• “Prompt Payment Laws – Traps for the Unwary: Common Issues Affecting Owners, Contractors and Subcontractors,” Author, Fidelity & Surety Law Committee Newsletter, American Bar Association (2016)
• “Problems and Pitfalls Handling AIA Bond Claims,” Co-Author (2011)
• “Complimentary Provisions of the Indemnity Agreement,” Co-Author, The Surety’s Indemnity Agreement – Law & Practice, 2d Ed., American Bar Association (2008)
• “Challenges to Plaintiffs Seeking Lead Plaintiff Status in Securities Fraud Class Actions,” Co- author, ALI-ABA Securities Litigation Program (2006)
• “Recent Challenges to Class Certification in Securities Fraud Class Actions,” Co-Author, ALI-ABA Securities Litigation Program (2005)

Presentations

• “Qualifications-Based Selection: Why it Matters to Arizona?” Presenter, ACEC Arizona, 2025 Arizona Conference on Roads and Streets (September 2025)
• “Ally-Shoring and Tariffs: Impacts on U.S.–Mexico Cross-Border Construction,” Moderator, Snell & Wilmer Virtual CLE Series (June 2025)
• “Was Contractor’s Notice of Claim Sufficient but did Contractor Nevertheless Waive Its Claims?” Presenter, State Bar of Arizona, Construction Law Section (March 28, 2025)
• “USMCA: Strengthening the Arizona-Mexico-Canada Bond,” Panelist, AZ TechCast, the Arizona Technology Council Podcast (May 28, 2021)
• “Cross-Border Connecting: ‘A Conversation With Top Chef Maria Mazon’,” Moderator, Arizona Town Hall (April 15, 2021)
• “Cross-Border Connecting: ‘Arizona-Mexico Consuls General Panel’,” Moderator, Arizona Town Hall (March 18, 2021)
• “Surety Association of Arizona – Conference call: Force Majeure contract provision language and the New SBA Coronavirus Lending Programs,” Surety Association of Arizona (April 15, 2020)
• “Qualified Zone Opportunities,” Co-Presenter, Surety Association of Arizona (November 19, 2019) “The Importance of Communication in Cross-Border Business,” Moderator, Sonora-Arizona Commission, Economic Development Committee (November 2019)
• “Cross-Border Trade Focus of Arizona-Mexico Town Hall in Hermosillo,” Presenter, 91.5 KJZZ (October 2019)
• “Arizona & Mexico Town Hall,” Presenter, The Creative Show (October 2019)
• “Arizona Business Attraction,” Moderator, Arizona Mexico Commission, Financial Legal Services Committee Panel (June 2019)
• “Expanding into the Arizona Market,” Moderator, Arizona Mexico Commission, Cross Border Investment Workshop (June 2019)
• “Opportunities for Artists South of the Border: How to Get Started in Mexico?,” Presenter, Arizona Mexico Commission, Arts and Culture Committee (June 2019)
• “Ethics Issues in the Use of Key General Indemnity Agreement Provisions,” Presenter, Surety Claims Institute (June 2019)
• “Key Trends Concerning Cross-Border Trade and Investment in the Arizona-Sonora Mega- Region,” Presenter, Land Economics Society’s (LAI) Sonoran Desert Chapter (February 2019)
• “Foreign Judgement,” Presenter, Arizona Mexico Commission, International Section of Arizona State Bar, and the Barra Sonorence de Abogados A.C. (COLEGIO), Financial and Legal Services Committee (November 2018)
• “The Challenges of Doing Business With Latin American Entities and the Emerging Cuban Market,” American Bar Association, Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section, Fidelity, and Surety Law Committee 2017 Midwinter Meeting (January 2017)
• “Development Opportunities South of the Border: How to Get Started in Mexico,” Development Opportunities in Mexico: Is Mexico Our New Frontier? LAI (2016)