After the internship, I took a position working for Montana State University-Billings as a legislative lobbyist. At the end of the legislative session, I entered graduate school at the University of Montana in Missoula in an effort to obtain a Master’s Degree in philosophy. I should note that by this time I had begun to date my friend / classmate / co-director, Nicole. After completing 3 years of classwork toward my Master’s Degree, I began work on my graduate thesis entitled “John Rawls and the 1972 Montana Constitutional Convention.” The more I researched the Montana Constitutional Convention, the more I became convinced that I wanted to be a lawyer, specifically a criminal defense lawyer.

In fall of 2002, I enrolled in the University of Montana School of Law. When not in law school, I worked for Norm Grosfield, an attorney in Helena, and John Shontz, also an attorney in Helena. My third year of law school was eventful. I was lucky enough to obtain placement in the prestigious Criminal Defense Clinic, working with Professor Jeffrey Renz. I was also working part-time as a lobbyist for the Montana Newspaper Association. I graduated from UM Law and frantically started to study for the bar exam. Upon successful completion of the bar exam, I started working for the firm of McLaverty & Associates, practicing exclusively criminal defense. I worked with Mr. McLaverty for approximately 8 months when I suffered catastrophic heart failure. This problem sidelined my legal career for approximately 7 months while I recovered from a heart transplant in Spokane, Washington. Thankfully, Nicole was attending graduate school in Spokane at the same time I was having my ticker transplanted.

I returned to McLaverty & Associates in the fall of 2006 and eagerly resumed my criminal defense career. Then in April of 2007, I was approached by John E. Smith to see if I would be interested in working for him. I eagerly accepted the job and have been working here ever since. Nicole is now my wife / classmate / co-director, etc., my new heart is beating like a bass drum, and I love practicing criminal defense law. At this time, my practice is mainly in Federal Court, and in the Montana Supreme Court. However, I love all arenas and eagerly accept any challenge that comes my way.

I have been fortunate to be welcomed into a larger community of Montana attorneys as well and have been asked to serve in a variety of posts among organizations which mean a great deal to me. I am honored to hold the position of Chairman of the Criminal Law Section for the State Bar, as well as served as past President of the Montana Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. I have also been asked and am serving on the Board of Directors for the Montana Innocence Project.  I have had opportunities to volunteer in years past and I can now continue this important work helping other attorneys fighting to exonerate those falsely imprisoned.