Colleen M. Dowdall

Peter was born in Trondheim, Norway in 1963. After immigrating to United States as a child, he lived in New York. His family finally settled in Seattle, Washington, where he attended the University of Washington, receiving a degree in History in 1985. He received his law degree from Willamette University in 1989 and worked in the Civil Trial Division of the Oregon Department of Justice. As a prosecuting attorney in Seattle for six years, Peter prosecuted approximately 50 jury trials along wit...

Bob was born in Washington, D.C. in 1960. He undertook his legal studies at the University of Montana School of Law, receiving his Juris Doctor degree with high honors in 1996. His undergraduate studies were in philosophy at the University of Southern California, completing his Bachelor's Degree in 1984. Bob's current practice focuses on trademark law, copyright law, trade secrets, intellectual property licensing, employment and labor law, commercial and real estate litigation. He also has wo...

Randy concentrates his practice in insurance law, bad faith defense and general negligence litigation, including construction defect cases and class actions. He has successfully defended negligence and insurance bad faith cases through trial and on appeal. His clients include both national and regional corporations as well as many Montana individuals and businesses. He has been recognized in Chambers USA: Leading Lawyers in Business (Commercial Litigation) and by Best Lawyers in America. His ...

Christian advises clients on real estate transactions, laws relating to land conservation and tax-exempt organizations, and related areas. He specializes in conservation easement transactions. Before co-founding Neilson, Swanson, Dietrich, Smith, PLLC, Christian served as General Counsel for the Montana Land Reliance, one of the nation's preeminent land trusts. In addition to the interpretation and defense of a million-plus-acre conservation easement portfolio at MLR, he successfully advised ...

Liz’s practice focuses on medical malpractice and personal injury defense. She represents a wide variety of health care clients, including physicians, hospitals, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, professional counselors, and other health care providers in medical negligence actions, HIPAA complaints, and professional licensing disputes. She also represents companies in products liability claims involving pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and asbestos exposure. Liz routinely app...

Kevin, who was raised in Butte, focuses his practice on medical malpractice defense, as well as commercial, insurance, and media law litigation. Kevin received a bachelor’s degree in journalism in 1987 from the University of Montana, where he served as a reporter and later as the editor of the student newspaper. After graduation, he worked as a news reporter for more than four years, writing about police and legal issues for newspapers in Texas and Montana. He later returned to Missoula...

Jeff has a diverse practice that includes civil litigation, insurance defense, employment law, business law, construction law and workers' compensation. He is admitted to practice in all Montana Courts, the United States District Courts for the District of Montana and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. He is also admitted to practice in California (inactive status). Jeff enjoys advising employers on all business and litigation related matters. Jeff's honors, awards and professional associati...

Aaron advises individuals, startups, tech and telecommunications companies, banks, contractors, and businesses on a wide-variety of matters. With several years in private practice in Seattle and Missoula, and as the former Vice President and General Counsel of a leading technology / communications service provider operating in 16+ states in the greater Pacific Northwest, Aaron has the requisite knowledge and experience to help you and to help your business grow, minimize risk, improve operati...

Shane Reely is a fourth-generation Montanan. He graduated with honors in 1994 from the University of Montana School of Law. After passing the Montana bar exam, he obtained a Master’s Degree in Tax (LL.M.) in 1995 from the University of Florida College of Law. Soon after, Shane began working for the Crowley Law Firm in Billings where his primary focus was on tax-exempt entities as well as general commercial transaction work, such as preparing purchase agreements, lease agreements, and ot...

Gary Kalkstein is a Partner in our Missoula office and focuses his practice on medical malpractice and health care matters. For the last 35 years, Gary has defended a wide range of health care clients, including physicians, hospitals, clinics, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, professional counselors, and other health care providers in medical negligence actions and professional licensing disputes throughout the State of Montana. He routinely appears before the Montana Medical Legal ...