J. Kevin Edmundson
The Experience You Need When It Matters Most
J. Kevin Edmundson is passionate about his family, music, sports, and is most comfortable in a pair of jeans. He wasn’t born in Texas, but as they say, he got here as soon as he could. “I am a family first kind of guy. My practice is very important to me and my clients, of course, but spending time with the family is a significant priority.”
Kevin watched his father, also a lawyer, work his fingers to the bone in Washington, DC. “I decided I didn’t want to do it that way. I wanted to create a lifestyle that allowed me to balance the pressures of the office with the joys of home life and raising kids.” So how did a kid who grew up in the suburbs of the Nation’s Capital end up in Texas? Well, Kevin took a very circuitous route. After graduating from high school, Kevin attended the University of Alabama, a place he knew nothing about and had never visited. That was part of its appeal, sort of like running away from home. “It was radically different from where I grew up. It was a great adventure and I had a blast,” he said. Kevin learned how to adapt in an unfamiliar environment and thrived at throwing himself at new things.
After college, Kevin returned home and earned his law degree from the Catholic University School of Law. After ten years of practice in DC, first at a large national law firm, and later, as a young enforcement attorney with the Securities and Exchange Commission, he decided it was time to run away again. He set out for Texas and continued his career with the SEC in its Fort Worth office. He rose quickly through the ranks and served as an assistant director of enforcement and chief trial counsel. Kevin recalls his time with the SEC fondly. “I really enjoyed my sixteen years with the Commission. I got to work with some of the brightest lawyers that I know, and the complexity of the cases was always fascinating.”
When asked about his most famous case, which exposed and stopped Alan Stanford’s $8 billion criminal Ponzi scheme, Kevin simply replied, “I got an opportunity to work with a great group of people on that case. It was a challenge for many reasons, but we figured out a way to get the job done.”
In 2013, Kevin began another new phase in his life—and made another move. He, his wife of 21 years, and their two sons relocated to Austin, where Kevin started his own law practice. He recalled those earlier years. “We didn’t know anyone in Austin and I had no clients. We just did it and figured we would sort it all out later.” Kevin’s “no fear” approach to life is what he commits to his clients. A partner with Austin-based Brophy Edmundson Shelton & Weiss PLLC, Kevin represents and advises corporate and individual clients in securities fraud litigation, regulatory investigations, internal investigations, whistleblower complaints, FINRA arbitrations, securities compliance issues and complex commercial litigation. His legal savvy is rooted in his many years with the SEC and enhanced by the solid expertise from his partners at the firm. “I tell my clients that they pay me to worry about and handle their problems.”
There is never a debate in the courtroom about his qualifications. He is often asked to offer his expert opinion in securities cases. Recently, Kevin provided expert testimony in a high-profile criminal case against a Texas state senator, which the jury found had engaged in securities fraud. “I don’t really know, but maybe my testimony had an impact on the jury and was helpful to the prosecution team.”
His firm’s motto, “The experience you need when it matters most,” and Kevin’s wealth of experience during his 30-year legal career has certainly mattered to many. But, as with talking about any of his successes, he finds it hard to toot his own horn and eagerly gave credit to others.
“I have been very fortunate in my legal career. As a young lawyer, I represented a White House official who was under the microscope in an independent counsel investigation. I have had the opportunity to work with many high-level government officials and corporate executives in several noteworthy cases. If you listen, work hard and pay attention to what really matters, your efforts will be rewarded.”
Fun Facts
* Kevin enjoys playing the guitar and has recorded an album with his church group in Nashville.
* Favorite musician: “Keith Richards, of course.”
* Best BBQ in Texas: “I’m a Coopers man!”
* Favorite legalese: “That’s not the law and never has been.”
* Other than your sons, most respected sportsperson:“Currently, Jalen Hurts.”
* Proudest moment as a father/husband: “Just watching my sons grow up and admiringthe special relationship they have developed with my wife Debbie.”
Brophy Edmundson Shelton & Weiss
210 Barton Springs Road, Suite 500
Austin, Texas 78704
Photo credit Regan Morton Photography.