William K. "Bill" VanCanagan

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 ...

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.

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...

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 ...

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 ...

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...

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.

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...

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...

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...