As a litigation firm fueled by some of Montana’s top litigation attorneys, Spoon Thompson represents numerous insurers, including traditional insurance companies, risk management pools, and self-insurers, on a variety of issues ranging from coverage determinations to bad faith claims. The firm’s representation involves all forums, including state and federal court, administrative proceedings, and claims before the Insurance Commissioner. The firm also advises on all insurance-related issues directly to its insurance clients and provides full litigation support to insureds. Spoon Thompson attorneys have successfully defended its clients in a wide range of insurance defense matters from motor vehicle accident claims to construction defect litigation. Whether it is for the insurer or the insured, Spoon Thompson is equipped to provide the highest quality legal services in the market.

From its inception, Spoon Thompson made a commitment to join the few Montana law firms defending medical malpractice claims as a natural progression given our attorneys’ long-standing work in the medical malpractice arena. Immediately after its formation, multiple medical malpractice insurers retained Spoon Thompson to represent their insured healthcare providers. Our firm’s decision to establish its flagship office in Helena, a central location in Montana, was strategic and calculated to provide convenient access for the physicians, hospital administrators, nurses, and other healthcare professionals who appear before the Montana Medical-Legal Panel, which sits in Helena and hears all medical malpractice claims filed in Montana. Our success in defending medical malpractice claims resulted in medical malpractice defense becoming a major component of the firm’s litigation practice.

Spoon Thompson represents numerous American Indian Tribes, tribal governmental agencies, programs, and entities, tribal members, tribal housing authorities, and other tribally owned businesses and entities in a wide range of Indian law-related issues in various tribal, state and federal jurisdictions across the Northwest. Our attorneys have more experience than any other firm in Montana litigating insurance defense matters in tribal courts. Spoon Thompson’s attorneys are licensed and have litigated in 14 tribal jurisdictions in the Northwest — something that no other firm in the region can offer. Spoon Thompson has experience at every level of tribal court practice, from administrative tribunals to tribal courts and tribal appellate courts.

Spoon Thompson attorneys practicing in Indian country are primarily engaged in insurance defense litigation before tribal courts and tribal appellate courts involving personal injury and employment-related matters. We have defended tribes, tribal entities, tribal officials and employees, who have been sued. We enjoy unparalleled success in tribal court, tribal appellate courts, and in both state and federal courts while representing various tribes. We have a detailed and comprehensive understanding of tribal sovereign immunity, and how to properly assert sovereign immunity as a defense in claims against the tribes, tribal entities, and tribal officials. We are also well-versed in the complex interplay of tribal, state, and federal jurisdictional issues that arise in tribal representation.

The defense of employers and their insurers constitutes a significant portion of Spoon Thompson’s litigation practice. Spoon Thompson attorneys have consulted with and successfully represented Montana employers and their insurers on a variety of labor and employment law issues in the district courts of Montana, appellate courts, tribal courts, and before the Department of Labor and the Workers’ Compensation Court. Our litigators have extensive experience and success defending cases involving claims resulting from wrongful discharge, constructive discharge, sexual harassment, discrimination, compensation, retaliation, discrimination, occupational disease, and human rights violations.

Spoon Thompson’s attorneys are experienced in representing clients in complex products liability actions arising out of injury or damage allegedly caused by a defective product. Spoon Thompson has represented clients in a variety of products liability actions, including claims directed at manufacturers of pesticides, distributors of latex gloves, component part manufacturers, retail sellers, manufacturers of automobiles, and manufacturers of products used in a variety of contexts, including recreational vehicles.

Spoon Thompson’s attorneys can meet the unique challenges involved in products liability law, including Montana’s strict liability statute which imposes liability on every link in the chain between design and consumer. The firm’s litigation group has a great understanding of Montana’s product liability statutes and keeps abreast of new developments in Montana case law interpreting those statutes.

Business practices occasionally generate disputes or controversy that result in litigation before the courts or administrative agencies. In those cases, we provide a full range of litigation services that include planning initial strategies, engaging in alternative dispute resolution, developing and executing pretrial and trial tactics, and handling all levels of appeal. We are experienced in preparing comprehensive litigation management plans and accurately budgeting for all phases of pre-litigation and litigation.

Our attorneys litigate commercial matters in federal, state, and tribal trial and appellate courts, arbitration tribunals, and administrative agencies. We represent our business clients in breach-of-contract actions, matters arising under the Uniform Commercial Code, RICO, CERCLA, and commercial bankruptcy matters, distributor terminations, corporate and partnership dissolutions, tortious interference, unfair competition, trade secret and intellectual property actions, class action, and other types of commercial litigation.