Brent was born in Longview, Texas, and lived in Shreveport, Louisiana, before his family moved to Billings. He graduated from Billings West High School and attended undergrad in Arkansas and then law school in Houston, Texas.
After law school, Brent moved back to Billings and clerked for James F. Battin, Chief United States District Judge for the District of Montana. From that experience Brent developed a fondness for legal research and writing and became experienced in several criminal and civil law topics.
After his clerkship, Brent spent 15 years as a Deputy County Attorney for Yellowstone County prosecuting several hundred felonies and misdemeanors and advanced to Chief Civil Deputy Yellowstone County Attorney where he advised the Board of County Commissioners for several years. Then he ventured across the street in downtown Billings where he spent 22 years serving the citizens of Billings as the City Attorney. He supervised a seasoned team of prosecutors and helped begin and expand what is now an experienced, highly recognized and successful Domestic Violence Unit for the City. He also led the highly experienced Civil Division attorneys who defended the City against tort, contract end employment claims of all kinds, revised many codes and policies, and was part of several teams which negotiated contracts with unions and numerous vendors. He has extensive experience advising public officials and department heads about Montana’s laws concerning local government, risk management, right to privacy, open meetings, public records, real property, zoning, subdivisions, special improvements districts, contracts, parliamentary issues, drafting local ordinances and resolutions and testifying before numerous sessions of the Montana Legislature on various civil and criminal legislation.
During his tenure with the City of Billings Brent was a member of the Montana Municipal Interlocal Authority (MMIA) Claims Committee for twenty years and presented various seminar topics for the annual conferences of the MMIA Tillotson Service Program, the Montana League of Cities and Towns, and the Montana Municipal Clerks Association.
When he retired from the City of Billings in Fall of 2020, he was the second longest serving full time city attorney in Montana. In his personal time, Brent enjoys downhill skiing and is a twenty-eight year member of the National Ski Patrol (NSP). During the winter, he works weekends as a volunteer patroller at nearby Red Lodge Mountain and trains new patrollers on rescue toboggan skills. Brent has also served as a pro bono legal advisor to the Northern Division of the National Ski Patrol System for twenty-five years. He also enjoys running, hiking, backpacking, music, singing, playing the bass drum in a local bagpipe and drum band, motorcycles, detailing cars/trucks, landscape and wildlife photography and playing fetch with his German Shepherd Helga.
Community Engagement
• National Ski Patrol – Northern Division Legal Advisor
• Red Lodge Mountain Ski Patrol
• Billings Caledonian Pipes and Drums
