Ashley’s practice is focused primarily on estate planning, estate and gift tax, and estate and trust administration, but also involves formation and governance of family businesses, planning for people with special needs, and charitable and elder planning. She has a broad range of clients that include individuals, small business owners, and farmers and ranchers. She also represents local and national institutions in their roles as trustees and other fiduciaries.
Ashley was born and raised in Texas. She attended the University of Texas, where she graduated with honors with a degree in accounting. In 1994, she moved to Montana and later attended the University of Montana School of Law, where she served on the editorial board of the Montana Law Review and graduated with high honors. Ashley practiced in the firm’s Billings office for 17 years before relocating to Bozeman in 2016.
Ashley is committed to serving her community and profession. She is a current Board Member and Past President of the Montana Justice Foundation. She is also a current Board Member of the Bozeman Health Foundation. She has previously served on the governing boards of RiverStone Health Foundation, Yellowstone Area Bar Association, Montana State University – Billings Foundation, Billings Preservation Society, and the Billings chapter of the Mental Health Association, and she previously served as a Commissioner on the American Bar Association Commission on IOLTA. Prior to moving to Bozeman, she was probono counsel to the Yellowstone County Guardianship Council.
Ashley is a graduate of the Leadership Montana and the Leadership Billings programs. In 2012, she was honored to be selected as one of the Billings Gazette’s “40 under Forty”. In 2016, she was named to the Best Lawyers in America in Trusts and Estates.
Practice Areas
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- Business Organizations
- Governance
- Tax
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- Taxation
- Business Entities
- Wealth Transfer Taxes
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- Trusts & Estates
- Business Succession Planning
- Charitable Giving
- Elder Law Planning
- Estate Planning
- Fiduciary Obligations and Estate and Trust Litigation
- Guardianships, Conservatorships and Disability Planning
- Premarital Agreements
- Probate, Estate and Trust Administration
- Retirement Planning
- Tax Planning
Bar Admission
Montana, 1998
Education
1998 – J.D. with High Honors, University of Montana School of Law
1994 – B.B.A. with Honors in Accounting, University of Texas
Honors & Awards
Best Lawyers in America – Lawyer of the Year, Trusts and Estates (2022)
Best Lawyers in America for Trusts and Estates (2016-Present)
“40 Under Forty” Honoree, Billings Gazette (2012)
Editorial Board, Montana Law Review
Community Involvement
Montana Justice Foundation (Current Board Member and former Board President)
Riverstone Health Foundation (Past Board Member)
Montana State University – Billings Foundation (Past Trustee)
Billings Preservation Society (Past Board Member and President)
Mental Health Association, Billings Chapter (Past Board Member and President)
Leadership Montana Graduate
Leadership Billings Graduate
Yellowstone County Guardianship Council (Pro Bono Counsel)
Professional Affiliations
State Bar of Montana
American Bar Association
Gallatin County Bar Association