Ryan George Weldon

Ryan is a Partner at Laird Cowley PLLC where he currently handles civil litigation, corporate investigations and compliance, professional negligence, real estate and construction litigation, and criminal defense.

Ryan is a former federal prosecutor who worked for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for over 14 years. Ryan rose through the ranks and ultimately led and supervised other federal prosecutors pursuing violent crime, fraud, public corruption, and tax crimes. Ryan also oversaw the Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit, which filed civil lawsuits for healthcare and financial fraud, violations of the False Claims Act and Controlled Substances Act, and violations of environmental laws.

Prior to working for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Ryan worked as a law clerk for United States District Court Judge Sam E. Haddon and Montana Supreme Court Justice Jim Rice.

During Ryan’s school years, he worked as a Missoula Smokejumper, which included Ryan fighting fires by jumping out of U.S. Forest Service airplanes and landing by parachute in remote areas of the West.

Education

2005 B.A., English, Dickinson State University, summa cum laude
2009 J.D., University of Montana, with honors
2010 M.S., Resource Conservation, summa cum laude

Professional Activities & Honors

Fellow, American College of Trial Lawyers (ACTL)
University of Montana School of Law Advanced Trial Advocacy Faculty Member
Former Member of the United States District Court for the District of Montana Local Rules Advisory Committee.