Courtne Ellis

Robert J. Phillips has been practicing since 1978 in areas of insurance defense or all kinds, including coverage opinions, coverage litigation and bad faith defense. He has tried numerous civil jury trials in various areas, including automobile, trucking, railroad, products liability, professional liability, construction defect and insurance bad faith, in State, Federal and Tribal courts. He has been lead counsel in many of the leading cases in Montana insurance law before the Montana Supreme...

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 ...

Elizabeth A. Kaleva is an attorney in Missoula, Montana, focusing her practice on representation of public and private school districts throughout the state of Montana, as well as the Montana High School Association. Bea graduated from Boston College in 1991, and the University of Montana School of Law in 1995. After clerking for a year, Bea joined the Montana School Boards Association as a staff attorney. She rose to the General Counsel position and remained with the MTSBA until 2003, when s...

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...

Michael Hekman is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Real Estate Law. Michael, who practices law in Missoula, Montana, has been recognized since 2023. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Michael is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Tessa A. Keller is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employment Law - Management. Tessa A., who practices law in Missoula, Montana, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Tessa A. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Justin K. Cole is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation, Health Care Law and Medical Malpractice Law - Defendants. Justin K., who practices law in Missoula, Montana, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Justin K. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Jill Gerdrum is a civil litigator with a practice focused on product liability, transportation, premises liability, insurance defense, professional liability, and employment law. Jill’s product liability experience includes claims related to farm equipment, RV component parts, engine components, loading dock equipment, lawn mowers, medical supplies, livestock feed, and underground fuel tanks. In the transportation and premises liability arenas, she represents trucking companies, insurer...

Brad grew up in Montana. He left the state to play college baseball in Florida and attend the United States Naval Academy. After graduating from the University of Montana law school with honors in 1977 he began private practice in Missoula. Since that time he has had a varied state wide practice involving insurance related litigation, specializing in insurance bad faith, personal injury, professional negligence and workers’ compensation law. Brad has handled more than 60 appeals before ...

Susan Ridgeway’s practice emphasizes civil litigation and surrogacy and reproductive donation law . An experienced litigator in both state and federal court, Susan has helped small and large companies with their legal needs for over 25 years. Her clients include construction contractors, property developers, banks, health care providers, cryobanks, manufacturers, suppliers, and retailers. Susan has a solid record of achieving proactive and cost-efficient resolutions for her clients, bot...