Steven (Steve) R.  Milch

Steven (Steve) R. Milch

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Steven (Steve) R. Milch is Of Counsel in the Litigation Department and practices in the Billings office. He joined the firm in 1989 after serving as a law clerk for the Hon. J. Blaine Anderson and the Hon. Stephen S. Trott, both of whom were judges on the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

Steve’s litigation practice encompasses a wide range of civil litigation in both the trial and appellate areas, including civil rights, class action, ERISA litigation, and Indian law matters. Examples of representative cases which he has handled include the following:

Barnhart v. Philadelphia Indemnity Ins. Co. 2023 WL 2228405 (D. Mont. Jan. 27, 2023), aff’d, 2023 WL 8542681 (9th Cir. Dec. 11, 2023)
BNSF Railway Co. v. Eddy, 2020 MT 59, 399 Mont. 180, 459 P.3d 857 (2020)
Estate of Foster v. American Marine SVS Group Benefit Plan, 2019 WL 7020192 (D.Mont. Dec. 20, 2019)
AT&T Corporation v. Jackson Utilities, LLC, 725 Fed.Appx. 584 (9th Cir. 2018)
Reed v. Lieurance, 863 F.3d 1196 (9th Cir. 2017)
Montana Health Network, Inc. v. Great Falls Orthopedic Associates, 379 Mont. 513, 353 P.3d 483 (2015)
Sheridan Elec. Co-op, Inc. v. Montana-Dakota Utilities, 377 Mont. 296, 340 P.3d 529 (2014)
Frontline Processing Corp. v. Barack Ferrazzano Kirschbaum Perlman & Nagelberg LLP, 571 Fed.Appx. 586, 2014 WL 1664296 (9th Cir. 2014)
Peterson v. Time Ins. Co., 562 Fed.Appx. 566, 2014 WL 962015 (9th Cir. 2014)
Conway v. Benefis Health System, Inc., 369 Mont. 309, 297 P.3d 1200 (2013)
Peterson v. Time Ins. Co., 2012 WL 1755166 (D.Mont. 2012), aff’d, 562 Fed. Appx. 566 (9th Cir. 2014)
Gatlin-Johnson ex rel. Gatlin v. City of Miles City, 367 Mont. 414, 291 P.3d 1129 (2012)
Goolsby v. Raney, 483 Fed.Appx. 326, 2012 WL 1831161 (9th Cir. 2012)
Slack v. Landmark Co., 362 Mont. 514, 267 P.3d 6 (2011)
In re Gallatin County, 450 Fed.Appx. 624, 2011 WL 4351620 (9th Cir. 2011)
Josephs ex rel. Estate of Leibrock-Josephs v. Gallatin County, 385 Fed.Appx. 671, 2010 WL 2617805 (9th Cir. 2010)
Paull v. Park County, 352 Mont. 465, 218 P.3d 1198 (2009)
Gonzales v. City of Bozeman, 352 Mont. 145, 217 P.3d 487 (2009)
Park County Concerned Citizens v. DePuy, 344 Mont. 504, 190 P.3d 293 (2008)
Silvestrone v. Park County, 339 Mont. 299, 170 P.3d 950 (2007)
Essex Ins. Co. v. Moose’s Saloon, Inc., 338 Mont. 423, 166 P.3d 451 (2007)
In re Blatter, 241 Fed.Appx. 371, 2007 WL 1991148 (9th Cir. 2007)
Nickel v. Woods, 229 Fed.Appx. 432, 2007 WL 954329 (9th Cir. 2007)
Eklund v. Trost, 335 Mont. 112, 151 P.3d 870 (2006)
Lee v. Musselshell County, 320 Mont. 294, 87 P.3d 423 (2004)
Dorwart v. Caraway, 312 Mont. 1, 58 P.3d 128 (2002)
Shepherd v. Carbon County Bd. of Comm’rs, 309 Mont. 391, 46 P.3d 634 (2002)
Trochmann v. County of Musselshell, 7 Fed. Appx. 630, 2001 WL 291158 (9th Cir. 2001)
Lopez v. Musselshell County, 300 Mont. 544, 8 P.3d 123 (2000)
Bedrejo v. Triple E Canada, Ltd., 295 Mont. 430, 984 P.2d 739 (1999)
Dorwart v. Caraway, 290 Mont. 196, 966 P.2d 1121 (1998)
Shields v. Helena School Dist. No. 1, 284 Mont. 138, 943 P. 2d 999 (1997)
Montana Metal Bldgs., Inc. v. Shapiro, 283 Mont. 471, 942 P.2d 694 (1997)
Gandy v. Eschler, 261 Mont. 355, 862 P.2d 1116 (1993)
Eschler v. Eschler, 257 Mont. 360, 849 P.2d 196 (1993)
Anderson v. Merit Systems Protection Bd., 12 F.3d 1069, 1993 WL 517357 (Fed.Cir. 1993)
U.S. v. Juvenile Male, 930 F.2d 727, 1991 WL 51331 (9th Cir. 1991)

Practice Areas

Bar Admission

Idaho, 1987
Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, 1987
Montana, 1989
Fort Peck Tribal Court, 1990
Crow Tribal Court, 1990
Federal Circuit Court of Appeals, 1992
U.S. Supreme Court, 1992
District of Columbia Court of Appeals, 2021

Education

1987 – J.D., University of Idaho College of Law, Cum Laude
1979 – B.A., Montana State University

Honors & Awards

Best Lawyers in America for Appellate Practice and Civil Rights Law (2008 – present)
Best Lawyers in America – Lawyer of the Year, Appellate Practice (2022)
Mountain States Super Lawyers for Appellate (2016-Present)

Professional Affiliations

American Bar Association (Litigation Appellate Practice Committee)
Montana Defense Trial Lawyers Association
Yellowstone Area Bar Association
Defense Research Institute (DRI)
ABA, Civil Rights Litigation Committee
State Bar of Montana

Reported Decisions / Cases

Barnhart v. Philadelphia Indemnity Ins. Co. 2023 WL 2228405 (D. Mont. Jan. 27, 2023), aff’d, 2023 WL 8542681 (9th Cir. Dec. 11, 2023)
BNSF Railway Co. v. Eddy, 2020 MT 59, 399 Mont. 180, 459 P.3d 857 (2020)
Estate of Foster v. American Marine SVS Group Benefit Plan, 2019 WL 7020192 (D.Mont. Dec. 20, 2019)
AT&T Corporation v. Jackson Utilities, LLC, 725 Fed.Appx. 584 (9th Cir. 2018)
Reed v. Lieurance, 863 F.3d 1196 (9th Cir. 2017)
Montana Health Network, Inc. v. Great Falls Orthopedic Associates, 379 Mont. 513, 353 P.3d 483 (2015)
Sheridan Elec. Co-op, Inc. v. Montana-Dakota Utilities, 377 Mont. 296, 340 P.3d 529 (2014)
Frontline Processing Corp. v. Barack Ferrazzano Kirschbaum Perlman & Nagelberg LLP, 571 Fed.Appx. 586, 2014 WL 1664296 (9th Cir. 2014)
Peterson v. Time Ins. Co., 562 Fed.Appx. 566, 2014 WL 962015 (9th Cir. 2014)
Conway v. Benefis Health System, Inc., 369 Mont. 309, 297 P.3d 1200 (2013)
Peterson v. Time Ins. Co., 2012 WL 1755166 (D.Mont. 2012), aff’d, 562 Fed. Appx. 566 (9th Cir. 2014)
Gatlin-Johnson ex rel. Gatlin v. City of Miles City, 367 Mont. 414, 291 P.3d 1129 (2012)
Goolsby v. Raney, 483 Fed.Appx. 326, 2012 WL 1831161 (9th Cir. 2012)
Slack v. Landmark Co., 362 Mont. 514, 267 P.3d 6 (2011)
In re Gallatin County, 450 Fed.Appx. 624, 2011 WL 4351620 (9th Cir. 2011)
Josephs ex rel. Estate of Leibrock-Josephs v. Gallatin County, 385 Fed.Appx. 671, 2010 WL 2617805 (9th Cir. 2010)
Paull v. Park County, 352 Mont. 465, 218 P.3d 1198 (2009)
Gonzales v. City of Bozeman, 352 Mont. 145, 217 P.3d 487 (2009)
Park County Concerned Citizens v. DePuy, 344 Mont. 504, 190 P.3d 293 (2008)
Silvestrone v. Park County, 339 Mont. 299, 170 P.3d 950 (2007)
Essex Ins. Co. v. Moose’s Saloon, Inc., 338 Mont. 423, 166 P.3d 451 (2007)
In re Blatter, 241 Fed.Appx. 371, 2007 WL 1991148 (9th Cir. 2007)
Nickel v. Woods, 229 Fed.Appx. 432, 2007 WL 954329 (9th Cir. 2007)
Eklund v. Trost, 335 Mont. 112, 151 P.3d 870 (2006)
Lee v. Musselshell County, 320 Mont. 294, 87 P.3d 423 (2004)
Dorwart v. Caraway, 312 Mont. 1, 58 P.3d 128 (2002)
Shepherd v. Carbon County Bd. of Comm’rs, 309 Mont. 391, 46 P.3d 634 (2002)
Trochmann v. County of Musselshell, 7 Fed. Appx. 630, 2001 WL 291158 (9th Cir. 2001)
Lopez v. Musselshell County, 300 Mont. 544, 8 P.3d 123 (2000)
Bedrejo v. Triple E Canada, Ltd., 295 Mont. 430, 984 P.2d 739 (1999)
Dorwart v. Caraway, 290 Mont. 196, 966 P.2d 1121 (1998)
Shields v. Helena School Dist. No. 1, 284 Mont. 138, 943 P. 2d 999 (1997)
Montana Metal Bldgs., Inc. v. Shapiro, 283 Mont. 471, 942 P.2d 694 (1997)
Gandy v. Eschler, 261 Mont. 355, 862 P.2d 1116 (1993)
Eschler v. Eschler, 257 Mont. 360, 849 P.2d 196 (1993)
Anderson v. Merit Systems Protection Bd., 12 F.3d 1069, 1993 WL 517357 (Fed.Cir. 1993)
U.S. v. Juvenile Male, 930 F.2d 727, 1991 WL 51331 (9th Cir. 1991)