Henry N. Westesen is an Associate in the firm’s Bozeman office. He represents clients in commercial litigation and healthcare matters, focusing on breach-of-contract disputes in the construction, real estate, manufacturing, and service industries. He advises hospitals and healthcare providers on regulatory compliance, operations, and contractual issues, and defends healthcare clients in government investigations and professional licensing proceedings. Having grown up in Bozeman, Henry brings local understanding and a strong sense of commitment to his clients and the Montana community.
Before entering private practice, Henry served as a Deputy County Attorney in Gallatin County. He prosecuted misdemeanor and felony cases and appeared in court several days each week. He has tried multiple cases before a jury, argued hundreds of hearings, and developed a deep foundation in courtroom advocacy that continues to shape his litigation practice. As liaison to the Montana Highway Patrol and Bozeman Police Department, Henry provided training and legal guidance to law enforcement officers. He also served on the Domestic Violence Response Team and the High-Risk Committee, collaborating with community partners to improve safety for victims of domestic violence. During his tenure, Henry was elected Vice President of the Gallatin County Attorneys Union, where he helped negotiate improved pay and working conditions for local prosecutors.
Henry earned his J.D. from the University of Montana School of Law, where he served as a teaching assistant for Contract Law and as a group leader in the Academic Success Program mentoring first-year students. He gained practical experience as a clinical intern with the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services and as a legal intern with the U.S. Coast Guard Judge Advocate General’s office in Cleveland, Ohio. Henry spent a summer on the island of Rhodes, Greece, studying international arbitration, charterparty disputes, and maritime law through a Tulane University program. He later founded a Maritime Law Club at the University of Montana to encourage student engagement with federal, international, and regulatory issues.
Before law school, Henry worked in construction in Big Sky, framing large-scale residential homes with his older brother. That hands-on experience sharpened his appreciation for the practical realities underlying the construction disputes he now litigates. In practice today, Henry focuses on understanding each client’s goals, exploring every available option, and pursuing efficient, results-driven solutions.
Outside the office, Henry sings with the Bozeman Symphony Choir, plays guitar and banjo in a local band, and enjoys Montana’s outdoors through fishing, hiking, and skiing.