J. C. Garlington (1908-1995).
Sherman V. Lohn (1921-2007).
R. H. "Ty" Robinson (Retired).
MANAGING PARTNER
Gary B. Chumrau (Managing Partner) born Missoula, Montana, November 22, 1950; admitted to bar, 1977, Montana. Education: Stanford University (B.A., 1973); University of Montana School of Law (J.D., 1977). Member: Western Montana and American Bar Associations; State Bar of Montana; American Health Lawyers Association; Montana Defense Trial Lawyers Association. Practice Areas: Health Care; Banking Law; Commercial and Secured Transactions; Real Estate Law; Environmental Law; Hospital Law.
PARTNERS
Lawrence F. Daly (Partner) born Missoula, Montana, December 24, 1942; admitted to bar, 1968, Montana. Education: Seattle University (B.S., 1965); University of Montana (J.D., cum laude, 1968). Editor-in-Chief, Montana Law Review, 1967-1968. Listed in The Best Lawyers in America. Member: Western Montana, Federal and American Bar Associations; State Bar of Montana; Montana Defense Trial Lawyers; Defense Research Institute. Practice Areas: Business Torts; Contractor Law; Medical Malpractice Defense Law; General Negligence; Contract Litigation; Products Liability; Professional Negligence.
William Evan Jones (Partner) born Fergus Falls, Minnesota, August 1, 1932; admitted to bar, 1959, Montana. Education: University of Montana (B.A., 1954; J.D., 1959). Phi Delta Phi (Magister). Listed in: The Best Lawyers in America, Business Litigation and Personal Injury Litigation; Trial Attorneys of America, Product Liability; Trial Lawyers of America, Products Liability; Mountain States Super Lawyers (Top 75). Member: Western Montana and American Bar Associations; State Bar of Montana; Defense Research Institute; American Board of Trial Advocates (Diplomate); Montana Defense Trial Lawyers Association. Fellow: American College of Trial Lawyers. Practice Areas: Products Liability; General Negligence Litigation; Insurance Bad Faith Defense; Business Litigation.
Larry E. Riley (Partner) born Jordan, Montana, May 17, 1941; admitted to bar, 1966, Montana. Education: University of Montana (B.A., 1963; J.D., 1966). Listed in The Best Lawyers in America. President, Montana Young Lawyers Association, 1968-1969. Chairman, Continuing Legal Education Committee, State Bar of Montana, 1976-1981. Adjunct Faculty, Trial Practice, University of Montana Law School, 1980. Member: Western Montana and American Bar Associations; State Bar of Montana; Defense Research Institute; Montana Defense Trial Lawyers Association. Fellow: American College of Trial Lawyers; American Board of Trial Advocates. Practice Areas: Medical Malpractice Defense Law.
Robert E. Sheridan (Partner) born Butte, Montana, October 30, 1942; admitted to bar, 1967, Montana. Education: University of Notre Dame (B.B.A., cum laude, 1964); University of Montana (J.D., 1967). Listed in The Best Lawyers in America. Member: Western Montana, Federal and American Bar Associations; State Bar of Montana; National Association Railroad Trial Counsel; American Board of Trial Advocates; Montana Defense Trial Lawyers (Past President). Practice Areas: Railroad Law; Workers Compensation Law; General Negligence Litigation; Products Liability Law; Governmental Liability; Mediation.
Gary L. Graham (Partner) born Kalispell, Montana, August 25, 1940; admitted to bar, 1969, Montana. Education: Montana State University (B.S., 1962); University of Montana (J.D., cum laude, 1969). Phi Delta Phi. Associate Editor, Montana Law Review, 1968-1969. Clerk to Judge M. Oliver Koelsch, Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, 1969-1970. Listed in The Best Lawyers in America. Lawyer Representative to the Ninth Circuit Judicial Conference (1989-1995); Vice-Chairman, Civil Justice Reform Act Advisory Group for the District of Montana; Chair, Federal Practice Section (1990-1995); Member, Montana Pattern Jury Instruction Committee. Member: Western Montana, Federal and American Bar Associations; State Bar of Montana; Montana Defense Trial Lawyers; American Board of Trial Advocates. Fellow: American College of Trial Lawyers. Practice Areas: ERISA; Toxic Torts; Professional Negligence Law; General Negligence Litigation; Products Liability Law.
Gregory L. Hanson (Partner) born Reno, Nevada, June 5, 1946; admitted to bar, 1971, Montana. Education: University of Montana (B.S.B.A., magna cum laude, 1968; J.D., cum laude, 1971). Montana Law Review, 1970-1971. Certified Public Accountant, Montana, 1968. Listed in The Best Lawyers in America. Member: Western Montana and American Bar Associations; State Bar of Montana; Montana Defense Trial Lawyers Association. Practice Areas: Taxation Law; Real Estate Law; Estate Planning Law; Trusts Law; Probate Law.
Bradley J. Luck (Partner) born Cleveland, Ohio, September 7, 1952; admitted to bar, 1977, Montana. Education: United States Naval Academy; University of Montana (B.A., cum laude, 1974; J.D., cum laude, 1977). Co-Editor, Montana Law Forum, 1976-1977. Listed in The Best Lawyers in America (insurance, legal malpractice, personal injury litigation and workers compensation). Co-Author: "The Continuing Development of the Tort of Bad Faith in Montana," Montana Law Review, Winter 1989. Author: "The 1987 Amendments to the Montana Workers Compensation Act-From the Employers Perspective," Montana Law Review, Winter 1989. Member, Governor's Advisory Council on Workers Compensation, 1985-1986. Member: Western Montana and American Bar Associations; State Bar of Montana; Montana Defense Trial Lawyers Association (Member, Board of Directors, 1982-1993; Vice-President, 1989; President, 1990); Defense Research Institute (State Chair, 1993-1994); Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel. Practice Areas: Insurance Bad Faith Defense; General Negligence Litigation; Workers Compensation; Legal Malpractice Defense.
Candace C. Fetscher (Partner) born Missoula, Montana, July 31, 1946; admitted to bar, 1975, Montana, U.S. District Court, District of Montana and U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit. Education: University of Montana (B.A., magna cum laude, 1968; J.D., 1975). Note Editor, Montana Law Review, 1975. Listed in The Best Lawyers in America, Labor and Employment Law and Health Care Law. Member: Western Montana and American Bar Associations; State Bar of Montana; Defense Research Institute; Montana Defense Trial Lawyers Association; Federal Bar Association. Practice Areas: Labor and Employment; Health Care; Medical Malpractice Defense.
William T. Wagner (Partner) born Livingston, Montana, February 7, 1949; admitted to bar, 1974, Montana. Education: Gonzaga University (B.B.A., 1971); University of Montana (J.D., 1974). Phi Delta Phi. Member, Order of Barristers. Business Manager, Montana Law Review, 1973-1974. Listed in: The Best Lawyers in America; Chambers USA America's Leading Lawyers for Business, Real Estate; Who's Who in American Law. Co-Author: Comment, "Looking Through Form to Substance: Are Montana Resort Condominiums 'Securities?'" Vol. 35, No. 2, Montana Law Review, Summer, 1974. Member, University of Montana School of Law Clinical Board of Visitors. Member: Western Montana and American Bar Associations; State Bar of Montana; Montana Defense Trial Lawyers Association. Practice Areas: Business Litigation(25%); Real Estate Law(35%); Mediation(20%); Family Law(10%); Business Planning and Agreements(5%); Probate Law(5%).Email: William T. Wagner
Charles E. McNeil (Partner) born El Paso, Texas, November 1, 1959; admitted to bar, 1984, Montana. Education: Montana State University (B.S., cum laude, 1981); University of Montana (J.D., cum laude, 1984). Board of Editors, University of Montana Law Review, 1983-1984. Member: Western Montana, Federal and American Bar Associations; State Bar of Montana; Montana Defense Trial Lawyers. Practice Areas: General Litigation; Products Liability; Insurance; Extra Contractual Insurance Claims; Insurance Bad Faith; Workers Compensation; Indian Law.
Susan P. Roy (Partner) born Boston, Massachusetts, August 4, 1943; admitted to bar, 1979, Montana. Education: Duke University (B.A., 1965); University of Illinois (M.A., 1968); University of Montana (J.D., magna cum laude, 1979). Visiting Professor of Law, University of Montana, 1984-1985. Law Clerk to Hon. Russell E. Smith, U.S. District Judge, Montana, 1979-1981. Member: Western Montana, Federal and American Bar Associations; State Bar of Montana; Montana Defense Trial Lawyers; Defense Research Institute. Practice Areas: Insurance; Appellate Practice; General Negligence Litigation; Products Liability.
Kelly M. Wills (Partner) born Great Falls, Montana, November 19, 1960; admitted to bar, 1987, Montana. Education: Montana State University (B.A., 1983); University of Montana (J.D., cum laude, 1987). Member: Western Montana and American Bar Associations; State Bar of Montana; Montana Defense Trial Lawyers. Practice Areas: General Negligence Litigation; Workers Compensation Law; Transportation Law.
Anita Harper Poe (Partner) born Oakland, California, April 21, 1952; admitted to bar, 1991, Montana. Education: University of Hawaii (B.A., summa cum laude, 1976); Gonzaga University (J.D., summa cum laude, 1991). Moot Court Team, 1989-1990. Gonzaga University Law Review, 1989-1991. Recipient: Thomas More Scholarship; Dean's Award. Member: Western Montana and American Bar Associations; State Bar of Montana; Montana Defense Trial Lawyers; American Health Lawyers Association. Practice Areas: Professional Negligence; Health Care; Hospital Law; Employment Law; General Negligence.
Stephen R. Brown (Partner) born San Rafael, California, May 10, 1960; admitted to bar, 1989, Oregon; 1994, Montana. Education: Whitworth College (B.S., geology, 1983); Northwestern School of Law of Lewis and Clark College (J.D., cum laude, 1989). Member, Cornelius Honor Society. Recipient: Certificate in Environmental and Natural Resources Law; Bernard F. O'Rourke Award. Articles Editor, Environmental Law. Listed in The Best Lawyers in America. Adjunct Faculty, University of Montana School of Law. Member: Western Montana and American Bar Associations; State Bar of Montana; Oregon State Bar. Practice Areas: Land Use; Environmental Law; Water Law; Natural Resources Law; Real Estate; Business Transactions.
Robert C. Lukes (Partner) born Washington, D.C., March 24, 1960; admitted to bar, 1996, Montana. Education: University of Southern California (B.A., 1984); University of Montana (J.D., with high honors, 1996). Listed in The Best Lawyers in America, Intellectual Property. Author: "Conflict of Laws in Montana," Montana Law Review, Summer, 1995; "Defenses Under Montana Products Liability Law," Montana Law Review, Winter, 1997. Adjunct Professor, Trademark and Copyright Law, University of Montana School of Law. Member: Federal and American (Member, Sections on: Intellectual Property; Litigation) Bar Associations; State Bar of Montana; Montana Defense Trial Lawyers Association. Practice Areas: Trademarks; Copyrights; Trade Secrets; Commercial Litigation; Employment Law; Real Estate Litigation.
Peter J. Stokstad (Partner) born Trondheim, Norway, February 6, 1963; admitted to bar, 1990, Washington; 1996, Montana and U.S. District Court, District of Montana. Education: University of Washington (B.A. in History, 1985); Willamette University (J.D., 1989). Member: King County, Western Montana, Washington State and American Bar Associations; State Bar of Montana; Montana Defense Trial Lawyers Association. Languages: Norwegian. Practice Areas: General Litigation; Medical Malpractice Defense.
David C. Berkoff (Partner) born Abington, Pennsylvania, November 30, 1966; admitted to bar, 1998, Montana, U.S. District Court, District of Montana and U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit. Education: Harvard University (B.A., 1989); University of Montana (M.S., 1995; J.D., 1998). Member: Federal and American Bar Associations; State Bar of Montana; Western Montana Bar Association; Montana Defense Trial Lawyers Association (Member, Board of Directors). Practice Areas: Insurance Litigation(50%); Employment Litigation(15%); Employment(10%); Toxic Torts(10%); Business Litigation(10%); Labor Litigation(5%).
Kevin A. Twidwell (Partner) born Denver, Colorado, January 6, 1964; admitted to bar, 1994, Montana; 1998, Washington; U.S. District Court, District of Montana. Education: University of Montana (B.A., Journalism, 1987; J.D., with honors, 1994). Law Clerk to U.S. District Judge Charles C. Lovell, 1994-1998. Formerly with, Davis Wright Tremaine, 1998-2002. Member: Washington State, Federal and American Bar Associations; State Bar of Montana; Montana Defense Trial Lawyers Association. Practice Areas: Litigation; Media Law; Medical Malpractice Defense.
Kathleen L. DeSoto (Partner) born Toronto, Ontario, Canada, February 6, 1968; admitted to bar, 1999, Montana and U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit. Education: Santa Clara University (B.A., 1989); University of Montana (J.D. with high honors, 1999). Phi Delta Phi. Member, ATLA Trial Advocacy Team. Law Clerk to Federal District Judge Jack D. Shanstrom, 1999-2001. Member: Federal and American Bar Associations; State Bar of Montana; Western Montana Bar Association; Montana Defense Trial Lawyers Association. Practice Areas: Negligence Litigation; Insurance; Products Liability Law; School Law.
Charles E. Hansberry (Partner) born Indianapolis, Indiana, June 10, 1969; admitted to bar, 1997, Montana and U.S. District Court, District of Montana; 2001, U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit. Education: Wake Forest University (B.A., cum laude, 1991); University of Montana (M.S., summa cum laude, 1997; J.D., with honors, 1997). Formerly with Holland & Hart LLP, 1997-2005. Member: American Bar Association; State Bar of Montana. Practice Areas: Environmental Law; Employment Law; Commercial Litigation.
Brian J. Smith (Partner) born Gary, Indiana, March 21, 1955; admitted to bar, 1982, Montana; Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribal Court, U.S. District Court, District of Montana, U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit and U.S. Supreme Court. Education: Carroll College (B.A., Philosophy, 1977); University of Montana (J.D., 1982). Member: State Bar of Montana; American Bar Association; The Association of Trial Lawyers of America; Transportation Lawyers Association. Practice Areas: Commercial Law; Civil Litigation; Transportation.
A. Craig Eddy (Partner) born Dayton, Ohio, August 25, 1952; admitted to bar, 1999, Montana. Education: Oberlin College (A.B., 1974); University of Cincinnati (M.D., 1978); University of Montana (J.D., 1999); Loyola University (LL.M., Health Care, 2000). Recipient, Smith Merit Scholarship; Crowley Law Firm Merit Scholarship and Cali Excellence for the Future Award in Business Practicum and Insurance Law, 1998. Editor and Staff Member, University of Montana Law Review, 1996-1999. Instructor and Assistant Professor of Surgery, University of Washington, 1985-1992. Associate Professor of Cardiovascular Science, University of Montana, 1995. Medical Licensure: Washington, 1978, Montana, 1992. Board Certifications, American Board of Surgery General Surgery, 1986, recertified 1995. Certificate of Special Competence in Critical Care, 1987, recertified 1996. American Board of Thoracic Surgery, 1992. Member: American Bar Association; State Bar of Montana. Practice Areas: Health Law; Health Care; Medical Malpractice Defense.
ASSOCIATES
Alan F. McCormick (Associate) born Waynesboro, Virginia, June 27, 1969; admitted to bar, 2003, Montana; U.S. District Court, District of Montana; U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit. Education: Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (B.S., 1991; Masters of Urban & Regional Planning, 1993); University of Montana (J.D., with high honors, 2002). Law Clerk to Judge James R. Browning, Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, 2002-2003. Member: Western Montana Bar Association; State Bar of Montana; American Bar Association; Montana Defense Trial Lawyers Association; American Institute of Certified Planners. Practice Areas: Real Estate; Local Government Law; Business Transactions; Zoning, Planning and Land Use; Commercial Law.
Randall J. Colbert (Associate) born Anaconda, Montana, March 24, 1967; admitted to bar, 2003, Montana and U.S. District Court, Federal Court of Montana. Education: Rocky Mountain College (B.S., 1990); University of Montana (J.D., 2003). Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriter, 1997. Member: Western Montana, Federal and American Bar Associations; State Bar of Montana; Montana Defense Trial Lawyers Association; CPCU Society. Practice Areas: Insurance Defense; Bad Faith; Indian Law; Litigation.
Malin Stearns Johnson (Associate) born Missoula, Montana, 1977; admitted to bar, 2004, Montana and U.S. District Court, District of Montana; 2005, U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit. Education: University of Notre Dame (B.A., cum laude, 1999; M.Ed., 2001); University of Montana (J.D., with high honors, 2004). Second Place, National Law Student Negotiation Competition, 2003. Editor-in-Chief, Montana Law Review, 2003-2004. Law Clerk to Judge Sidney R. Thomas, Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Member: State Bar of Montana; American Bar Association; Western Montana Bar Association.
Kathryn S. Mahe (Associate) born 1980; admitted to bar, 2006, Montana and U.S. District Court, District of Montana. Education: University of Montana (B.A., with high honors, 2003; J.D., with honors, 2006). Member: State Bar of Montana. Practice Areas: Environmental Law; Insurance Defense; Water Rights.
Elena J. Zlatnik (Associate) admitted to bar, 2002, Montana and U.S. District Court, District of Montana; 2007, U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit. Education: Reed College (B.A., 1991); University of Montana (M.S., 1996); New York University (J.D., 2002).Email: Elena J. Zlatnik
Kristina K. McMullin (Associate) admitted to bar, 2006, Montana; 2007, Washington. Education: University of Montana (B.A., 2002; J.D., 2006); University of Washington (LL.M., 2007). Member: State Bar of Montana; Washington State Bar Association. Practice Areas: Business Law; Taxation; Real Estate; Probate; Probate Taxation; Wills.Email: Kristina K. McMullin