Family Law

• Child Support
  Kat is originally from Grafton, North Dakota. She attended the University of North Dakota and graduated with honors, earning her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. Kat went on to attend the University of North Dakota School of Law. During law school, Kat interned for U.S. Magistrate Judge Alice R. Senechal and for the Office of Grand Forks Regional Child Support. Kat earned her juris doctorate in 2018, graduating Order of the Coif.

Criminal Law

• Criminal Defense
• Sex Crimes
  Spread Education and Awareness of Trafficking and Report Suspected Trafficking We can educate ourselves and others, and we can help to increase awareness of the problem in our communities. It is essential to understand what makes a person vulnerable. Regardless of where you live, anyone can be a trafficking victim. Those at most risk include immigrant women, runaways, people who are homeless, those with drug or alcohol addictions, kids in the foster system, those with mental health issues, LGBTQ youth (especially boys), and physical and sexual assault victims. Interviews with pimps reveal one targeted quality – a lack of confidence. One pimp explained that he would approach a young girl and tell her she was beautiful, and if she looked him in the eye and responded confidently, he moved on to another victim. If she blushed, said she wasn't beautiful, or seemed overly flattered, he would continue to talk to her.
• Drug Crimes
  THE HUMAN TRAFFICKING EPIDEMIC Human trafficking is, unfortunately, one of the most profitable and popular crimes in the world. Globally, it equals arms trafficking as the second-largest criminal industry – behind only drug trafficking. Unlike drugs, humans are renewable resources, capable of being used and abused repeatedly, so it is an attractive criminal enterprise for those with little regard for others' suffering. Human trafficking is a $150 billion a year industry with as many as 40 million people around the world living in slavery, either as sex slaves or forced laborers. These numbers are merely estimates. That's more people living in slavery in 2020 than ever before in human history. That number does not include survivors. While trafficking comes in many forms – from child soldiers to sex tourism, most experts agree that most of the global human trafficking involves sex trafficking. Around two-thirds of the worldwide trafficking industry – or about $100 billion – is from sexual exploitation, with the remaining $50 billion from labor trafficking, debt bondage, and other trafficking. You can find trafficking in every country around the globe. The US State Department's Trafficking in Persons Report from June 2019 ranked the United States in the top three for nations of origin for victims – alongside Mexico and the Philippines.
• Assault
• Prostitution
  WHAT SEX TRAFFICKING LOOKS LIKE IN THE UNITED STATES Sex trafficking and sex slavery are federal crimes in the United States, and they have been prohibited under section 1591 of title 18 of the US Code since 2000. Section 1591 makes it a felony to cause anyone under 18 years old or anyone else by means of force, fraud, or coercion to engage in a commercial sex act. Before that, the federal Mann Act from 1910, sections 2421-2424 title 18 of the US Code, made it a felony to transport a victim in interstate commerce for illegal sexual activity. In addition to a federal crime, it is also a state crime, typically prosecuted under sex trafficking, sex slavery, prostitution, and pimping statutes. Sex trafficking crimes come in many forms. The illicit massage industry, for example, is one type of domestic sex trafficking, and it has global origins. According to the Polaris Project, there are more than 9,000 IMBs currently operating in the United States. Many of the women working in those IMBs are current or former trafficking victims, ranging in age from younger girls in larger markets to older women in more rural areas, where some work into their 70s. Almost all were born overseas. Polaris' research has found that these businesses are often part of global criminal networks, with revenues estimated to be around $2.5 billion per year. IMBs that are not part of criminal networks typically connect to one or more other IMBs to exchange victims. Many advertise in Mandarin and Korean language magazines in China, Korea, and large US cities like LA and New York. The ads suggest women can make money, get their massage therapy licenses, and have a better life in a new community by coming to work in a spa. IMBs are also lucrative in small markets. In rural states like Montana, for example, law enforcement officials estimate that one woman working at any given IMB will generate up to $18,000 per month in earnings for the owner. Escort services, another type of trafficking, are more prevalent than IMBs in the United States. Escort services are any commercial sex services arranged in advance, often by a pimp, and predominantly online. Those working as escorts are often young, with the average age of entry into sex trafficking estimated as young as 12-14 years. Escorts offer services at a temporary location, usually indoors, on an out-call basis (e.g., the escort goes to a location supplied by a buyer) or on an in-call basis (e.g., the buyer comes to a site provided by a victim or a pimp). In 2017, the US Justice Department shut down backpage.com, which was the most popular website for commercial sex ads. Since then, some domestic traffickers have begun utilizing websites hosted in other countries, and traffickers also use the same sites, dating apps, and social media apps that the rest of us use, like Facebook, MeetMe, and PlentyofFish. Sex trafficking or sex slavery comes in other forms too, including the outdoor solicitation you used to see at night: personal sexual

Business and Corporate Law

• Corporate Law
• Mergers and Acquisitions
  Cole regularly advises clients on an array of transactional matters including business formations and transactions, estate planning, mergers and acquisitions, real estate, natural resources, succession planning for
• Business Disputes
  Bobbi represents a wide variety of clients in matters involving commercial and business transactions, civil litigation, contract disputes, real estate, and natural resources. She is a member of the Montana, Wyoming, and North Dakota Bars.
• Business Transactions
  Keturah Shaules practices in the areas of commercial and business transactions, bankruptcy, civil litigation, estate planning and administration, as well as real estate. She is a member of the State Bar of Montana, and is licensed to practice in both Montana state and federal courts.
• Trade Secrets
• Intellectual Property
• Antitrust

Employment Law

• Workers Compensation
• Wrongful Termination
• Employment Discrimination
  Afton has successfully represented clients in jury trials, bench trials, and arbitrations related to motor vehicle accidents and personal injury, personal property disputes, wage claims, family ranch partnership disputes, insurance bad faith, and wrongful discharge from employment. She has effectively defended her clients before the Montana Human Rights Bureau related to employment discrimination claims and the Montana Department of Labor related to wage and hour claims. Afton has also been successful in appeals before the Montana Supreme Court whether getting a judgment reversed or upheld, all in her client’s favor. She has also represented clients before the National Labor Relations Board and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
• Employment Litigation
  Adam’s litigation experience includes municipal defense, products liability defense, construction defect litigation, insurance defense, and employment litigation. Adam has authored numerous briefs in trial courts throughout Montana and Wyoming, and appellate briefs before the Montana Supreme Court, Wyoming Supreme Court, and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Adam’s trial experience includes both jury and bench trials. Additionally, Adam argued on his clients’ behalf in front of the Montana Supreme Court and the Wyoming Supreme Court.
• Severance Agreement
  Afton Ball primarily practices in civil litigation with an emphasis in employment law, business defense, and farm and ranch disputes. Afton also advises and assists clients with employment questions, agricultural-related issues, and other real property disputes including conflicts related to homeowners’ associations and covenants. She has drafted and/or reviewed employee handbooks, termination and severance agreements, agriculture leases, and other documents related to her practice areas. She handles litigation matters that arise under...

Property Law

• Real Estate Litigation
  Tom Smith's practice emphasizes all facets of real estate law, water law, and telecommunications. He also works in the area of banking law and commercial transactions.
• Construction Litigation
  Morgan Hoyt practices primarily in the areas of bankruptcy, commercial litigation, civil litigation defense, real estate law, construction law, insurance, and estate planning. He is a member of the State Bar of Montana, and is licensed to practice in both Montana state and federal courts.
• Real Estate Transactions
  In addition to his litigation practice, Adam enjoys representing local businesses with employment questions, real estate transactions, and other day-to-day legal needs. Adam is licensed to practice in both Montana and Wyoming.
• Easement
• Land Use and Zoning
  In the second case, Gerry Fagan and Jordan FitzGerald convinced a State District Court on November 27, 2020, to dismiss claims related to a land use planning decision by the City of Hardin. The plaintiff claimed he had been treated unequally in violation of the state and federal constitution when the City annexed his property along with other adjoining properties. The plaintiff claimed the other adjoining property owners received more favorable treatment because it cost less for them to connect their properties to City services. The City established plaintiff’s claims were precluded by the applicable statutes of limitation.

Health Law

• Personal Injury
  He is an experienced trial litigator. Gerry has tried to successful jury verdicts a variety of cases, including bad faith, personal injury, product liability and commercial claims. In 2015, Gerry's clients prevailed in two separate jury trials.
• Medical Malpractice
  Gerry Fagan's primary practice area is civil litigation, with an emphasis on products liability (involved in the defense of such products as automobiles, ATVS, motor scooters, vaccines, industrial trenching machines, and products containing asbestos); personal injury defense (including clients such as Gallagher Bassett and GEICO); bad faith insurance claims (including clients such as Sedgwick Claims Management); medical malpractice claims (OMNSIC), and insurance coverage. Gerry is also well-versed in handling Montana’s unique case law (known as Ridley) requiring the advance payment of certain damages when liability is “reasonably clear.” Gerry has also successfully handled a variety of commercial and business disputes.
• Auto Accidents

Trusts and Estates

• Estate Planning
  Chris Sweeney is a shareholder at Moulton Bellingham PC, and has a diverse law practice. Chris has wide litigation experience in the areas of property law, estate litigation, business litigation, and insurance defense. Chris has extensive experience and expertise in Montana beverage license law, including assisting with the application and transfer of various types of beverage licenses, including beer and wine licenses, all-beverage licenses, resort licenses, golf course licenses, brewery licenses, and everything in between. Chris is also experienced in labor law and ERISA, and in defending actions in front of the National Labor Relations Board. Chris is admitted to practice law in Montana, North Dakota, and Wyoming.
• Trusts

Finance Law

• Bankruptcy
• Foreclosure
  Doug is involved in all aspects of real estate development and litigation. He has represented lenders, developers, tenants, and landlords in connection with real estate foreclosures, acquisitions, real estate sales, shopping centers, box store developments, Lifestyle Centers, medical campuses, co-tenancy issues, leasing, zoning, site development, subdivision approval, reciprocal easement agreements, exclusives, use restrictions, subdivision improvements agreements, common area maintenance agreements, secured financing, lease defaults, assignments, lease terminations, planned unit developments, and zoning.
• Tax Law
  Venturing outside Montana after high school, he attended the University of Munich, Germany, and received his B.A. degree from Willamette University in 1979. He received his J.D. degree from the University of Puget Sound in 1983, and also received an LL.M. degree, in taxation, from Boston University in 1985. He was Articles Editor of Boston University Journal of Tax Law which published his article, "Marital Deduction Planning With QTIP After The 1984 Tax Reform Act."
• Debt Collection
  Brandon Hoskins practices primarily in the areas of real estate, oil and gas, business, and commercial litigation. Brandon has represented clients ranging from national corporations to small local businesses and individuals. He has experience completing business and real estate transactions, oil and gas title opinion work, debt collection (including liens, foreclosure, litigation and execution), partitions, estate and trust work, and litigation involving title to real property, construction, breach of contract, and insurance defense, among other things.