Trae is a lifelong resident of the Baker-Zachary area. Trae is the son of The Honorable Judge Duke Welch, currently presiding on the Louisiana First Circuit Court of Appeals, and former East Baton Rouge Councilwoman, Roxson Welch. Trae is married to the former Lynn Caldwell of Tallulah, Louisiana. Together Trae and Lynn are raising their two children Quade and Vivian.
During high school, Trae began flying lessons earning his commercial multi/single engine pilot license with an instrument rating from FlightSafety International Inc. at the age of seventeen. Trae graduated from Baker High school in May, 1990 then attended and graduated from what is now known as the University of Louisiana at Monroe with a Bachelors of Science degree in Aviation. While at ULM, Trae was elected a Senator in the university’s Student Government Association and was both a member and an officer in the Alpha Eta Rho fraternity. Trae graduated from Southern University Law Center in May 2001.
After graduating from SULC, Trae was admitted to the Louisiana State Bar Association beginning his legal career working as a staff attorney for The Honorable Judges Bedsole Ricks and Wayne Ray Chutz in the 21st Judicial District Court. Upon working as a staff attorney Trae then went to work for a small law firm representing mostly civil and insurance company clients.
Trae has previously served his community as both a Reserve Police Officer and as Chief Prosecutor for the City of Baker. Trae ran for and was elected to serve the people of Baker as their Councilman in 2004 and was subsequently twice elected to the East Baton Rouge Parish Metro Council serving as the metro council’s representative with the Baton Rouge Regional Airport.
In addition to practicing law, Trae is a professional private pilot for BAM Aviation logging approximately 250 hours a year. Trae’s flight experience makes him one of only a handful of attorneys in south Louisiana specializing in aviation legal matters. Trae’s practice is primarily plaintiff’s personal injury, criminal defense, wills, successions, and aviation litigation.
