The law firm traces its beginning to 1895, when W. M. Johnston established his law practice in an office across from the Northern Pacific Depot in Billings, Montana. As its reputation grew over the ensuing decades, so did the firm. The firm began by serving the legal needs of a wide variety of clients, from local families to small business owners, from family farmers and ranchers to local lending institutions, from local hospitals and physician groups to energy pioneers, power generators, and mining interests. We continue to serve the same clients today, joined by national and international businesses representing virtually every industry with interests in our region. To better serve the increasingly diverse and complex needs of our clients, the firm established offices in Helena, Montana (1991), Kalispell, Montana (1997), Bozeman, Montana (2000), Missoula, Montana (2003), Butte, Montana (2011), and in Williston, North Dakota (1996).
On January 1, 2009, Crowley Fleck PLLP became the name of the firm formed by the combination of Crowley, Haughey, Hanson, Toole & Dietrich PLLP and Fleck, Mather & Strutz, Ltd. of Bismarck, North Dakota. The Fleck firm had been founded in 1945 by Alvin C. Strutz, later Chief Justice of the North Dakota Supreme Court, and Clifford Jansonius, who later served as a North Dakota District Judge. Ernest R. Fleck joined them in 1948. With this combination, Crowley Fleck PLLP established itself as a true regional law firm serving clients throughout the Northern Rockies region of Montana, North Dakota, and Wyoming. To perfect this vision, the firm has since established offices in Casper (2011), Cheyenne (2013), and Sheridan (2012), Wyoming. The law firm, therefore, now meets the governmental and regulatory needs of its clients through offices in the capital cities of Montana, North Dakota, and Wyoming.
The law firm counts among its partners and former partners lawyers of formidable ability and integrity, dedicated to the profession and to public service. Crowley Fleck lawyers contribute thousands of hours of pro bono legal services to those in need, serve on state bar association boards, committees, and commissions, ABA committees, in the Wyoming State Legislature, and on countless local charitable and nonprofit boards. In 1953, then partner William J. Jameson was elected President of the American Bar Association and in 1973 received the ABA’s highest honor, the ABA Medal. Our commitment to a tradition of public service in our profession and in our communities forms the foundation of our firm.
Crowley Fleck PLLP is the exclusive member firm in Montana for Lex Mundi – the world’s leading network of independent law firms with in-depth experience in 100+ countries worldwide. We are also the exclusive member for Montana and Wyoming in The Trial Network, an invitation-only professional network composed of 24 independent, nationally recognized litigation firms practicing in more than 120 offices throughout the United States.