MEET JACQUI

Growing up in Montana, my dad worked for the railroad and my mom was an elementary school teacher. Both sets of my grandparents were farmer/ranchers and I grew up loving Montana’s open spaces and laid back way of life. I obtained an undergraduate degree at Montana State University in Bozeman. After graduating law school from the University of Montana, I returned to Billings to start my career close to my family. When not practicing law, I enjoy spending time with my husband, our lively son, and our mini-aussie.

I wasn’t raised in a family with any attorneys, but my decision to attend law school did not come as a surprise to anyone. I have always loved to research and write.  At the age of four, I was asking my mom to help me make books.  When I was in the first grade, my aunt gave our family a set of Encyclopedias from the 1960s.  I spent countless hours looking up every topic that came to mind and writing reports on what I’d learned.  As an adult, my love of research has translated into helping my clients. A big part of my job is researching.  Researching why the law is what it is, whether it has changed over time and why.  With a solid understanding of the law, I can help my clients choose the best path forward.

The majority of my life, I have challenged how “it’s always been done” with a statement my parents came to dread… “I understand that’s how it’s always been done but I don’t understand why it can’t be done differently.” Evaluating each case by its own unique facts and circumstances, I strive to assist my clients in reaching the best possible resolution and finding a creative alternative when “how it’s always been done” isn’t working.