James A. "Jaymie" Bowditch

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 ...

Katie is a partner at Garlington Lohn & Robinson PLLP and chair of the employment law practice group. Katie counsels her clients on employment and labor law issues and has clients representing nearly all industries in Montana. Katie also brings a broad perspective due to her experience litigating civil matters. She is admitted to practice before all Montana courts, the United States District Courts for the District of Montana, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court of th...

Alan’s primary practice focus is land use, zoning, real estate and local government law with a particular emphasis on development permitting and related transactions. Alan is a former land use planner for Montana local governments, who combines his professional planning background with his work in land use law to provide clients with a unique blend of practical skills and legal analysis. He is frequently called upon to provide advice to private and government sector clients and has serv...

Leah was born and raised in Whitefish, Montana. She attended Boston College and graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and a minor in Hispanic Studies. Upon graduation, Leah returned to Montana and worked as a compliance specialist at a local credit union. Leah then attended law school at the University of Montana School of Law. While in law school, Leah worked at GLR as a legal intern, as a teacher’s assistant and tutor for fellow law students, an...

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...

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 ...

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.

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...

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...

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...