Eli J. Patten is a Partner in the Billings office, serving as a Banking, Finance, Creditor’s Rights and Bankruptcy Practice Group Leader. He practices in bankruptcy and creditors’ rights, commercial litigation, real estate transactions and litigation. Eli works extensively with financial institutions in a variety of matters including representation in bankruptcy, collection litigation, real and personal property foreclosures, debtor/creditor relation issues, defaulted credit, and real property litigation. He handles a wide array of issues and problems for financial institutions, creditors, banks, and credit unions, ranging from debtor-creditor relations to regulatory work. The bulk of his practice involves addressing problem loans and defaulted credit.
Eli takes pride in knowing his clients’ businesses and how they operate, which enables him to provide tailored and effective solutions. Often, those solutions involve creative problem-solving and strategic negotiations that address the unique challenges his clients face. In connection with his creditor’s rights work, Eli advises clients in tax lien and tax deed matters, a rare practice in Montana.
Committed to serving his community and profession, Eli is active in many professional groups, including serving for many years on the Board of Trustees for the State Bar of Montana and as a delegate to the ABA House of Delegates. For over a decade, Eli has chaired the seminar planning committee for the annual bankruptcy seminar, organized by the State Bar of Montana’s Bankruptcy Section.
A Billings native, Eli is proud to have been with Crowley Fleck for the entirety of his legal career, starting as an associate. He takes great pride in working with other attorneys at the top of their field and being part of a group that values collaboration, excellence, and client-focused service. Throughout his tenure, he has benefited from the guidance of excellent mentors and strives to be a mentor himself, fostering the same level of support and expertise in others.
In his free time, Eli enjoys spending time with his wife and daughters, golfing, fishing, watching his beloved Baltimore Orioles, and playing hockey.