Contract Lawyer Billings, MT
If you run a business in Billings, nearly everything you do involves a contract. Lease agreements, vendor relationships, employment arrangements, partnership terms, and customer obligations all create a binding legal relationship, and every one of them carries risk if the language is wrong or if the other party doesn’t hold up their end. A single poorly worded clause can cost you tens of thousands of dollars or more.
Silverman Law Office, PLLC has been advising Billings businesses and individuals on contract matters for over 20 years. Our Billings, MT contract lawyers handle everything from drafting and reviewing agreements to resolving disputes when a deal falls apart. Whether you need a new contract written from scratch or you’re dealing with a party who won’t perform, we are prepared to step in.
Why Choose Silverman Law Office for Contract Law in Billings, MT?
A Business Lawyer Who Understands the Financial Side
Joel Silverman built this firm around the intersection of business law and tax. He earned his J.D. and an LL.M. in Taxation from University of San Diego School of Law. That combination matters for contract work because the tax consequences of how an agreement is structured can be just as significant as the legal terms. A buy-sell agreement, a real estate purchase contract, or a business acquisition deal each carries tax implications that most attorneys overlook. Joel doesn’t.
He’s admitted to the State Bar of Montana, the U.S. District Court for the District of Montana, and the U.S. Tax Court. He belongs to the American Bar Association and the Montana Trial Lawyers Association. The Helena Chamber of Commerce named him Businessperson of the Year, a recognition that reflects his understanding of business, not just the law that governs it.
Contract Work Rooted in a Business Law Practice
We aren’t a general practice firm that occasionally handles a contract question. Contract drafting, review, and enforcement are central to what we do. From LLC formation and operating agreements to vendor contracts, service agreements, and real estate purchase terms, we’ve drafted and negotiated thousands of agreements for Montana businesses. That volume of work means we’ve seen what goes wrong, and we write contracts designed to prevent those problems.
Silverman Law Office has helped clients across Montana recover millions of dollars when contract disputes escalated. But our preference is to help clients draft contracts that never need to be litigated in the first place.
A Client’s Perspective
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“I met with associate attorney Joe Joyce. At 76 I haven’t had much dealings with attorneys, guess I’ve been lucky. Mr. Joyce seemed genuinely interested in my dilemma and wanted to look after my best interest. After a short meeting I left feeling a weight had been lifted off my shoulder and felt the situation would turn out for the better.” – Wayne Butts
Additional client reviews are available on our Google Business Profile.
Types of Contract Cases We Handle in Billings
Billings is home to businesses across energy, agriculture, healthcare, construction, and professional services. Each of those industries depends on contracts that are properly drafted and consistently enforced. We represent businesses and individuals in the full range of contract matters, including:
- Contract drafting and review. We prepare agreements for business transactions, partnerships, vendor relationships, service arrangements, and employment terms. Every contract we draft is written for the specific deal at hand.
- Breach of contract claims. When a party fails to perform, we evaluate the agreement, calculate the damages, and pursue the appropriate remedy. Contract disputes often arise from unclear terms, missed deadlines, or parties who simply refuse to do what they agreed to do.
- Partnership agreements. Business partnerships need written agreements that address profit sharing, decision-making authority, capital contributions, and exit provisions. We draft partnership agreements that account for the scenarios most partners never think to discuss.
- Vendor and supplier contracts. When a vendor fails to deliver what was promised, the ripple effect on your business can be severe. We draft supplier agreements with performance standards and remedies built in, and we enforce those terms when they’re violated.
- Real estate contracts. Commercial leases, purchase agreements, and development contracts carry significant financial exposure. Contract breaches in real estate can stall projects and create liability that extends well beyond the original deal.
- Nonpayment and collections. If you performed services or delivered goods and didn’t get paid, we pursue collection through demand letters, negotiation, and legal action when necessary.
- Business formation agreements. Operating agreements, shareholder agreements, and corporate structures need to be drafted carefully. The formation documents often become the controlling contract in disputes among owners.
Montana Legal Requirements for Contracts
Montana contract law is found primarily in Title 28, MCA. Under Montana law, a valid contract requires mutual consent, a lawful purpose, and adequate consideration. Both written and oral contracts are enforceable, but oral agreements are much harder to prove and are subject to a shorter statute of limitations.
The statute of limitations for breach of a written contract in Montana is six years under MCA § 27-2-202. For oral contracts, the deadline is five years. Sale of goods disputes under Montana’s Uniform Commercial Code carry a four-year filing window. These deadlines are firm. Once they expire, the claim is gone regardless of how clear the breach was.
Montana also has specific rules about which contracts must be in writing to be enforceable. The statute of frauds under MCA § 28-2-903 requires written agreements for contracts involving real estate, obligations that cannot be performed within one year, and guarantees of another person’s debt, among others. A contract attorney in Billings should catch these requirements before a client relies on a handshake deal that the law won’t enforce.
Businesses operating in Montana must also maintain good standing with the Montana Secretary of State to enforce their contractual rights. Entity registration, annual reports, and registered agent designations all affect a company’s legal standing and its ability to bring a contract claim.
Important Aspects of a Billings Contract Case
Getting the Language Right
Most contract disputes start with poorly drafted language. Ambiguous terms, missing provisions, and boilerplate clauses copied from the internet create gaps that the other party will exploit when the relationship sours. Montana courts follow specific interpretation rules, and those rules determine whether a judge looks only at what the contract says or considers outside evidence about what the parties meant. We draft contracts that don’t leave room for competing interpretations. And if a dispute does arise over contract language, we know how Montana’s courts will analyze it.
Identifying the Right Remedy
Not every contract breach calls for the same response. Sometimes the right move is a demand letter. Other times, you need to pursue compensatory damages in court. In certain cases, Montana law allows specific performance, an order compelling the other party to do what the contract requires, when money damages alone won’t make the situation right. We assess each situation individually and recommend the remedy that fits.
Protecting Your Position Before a Dispute Arises
The best time to involve a contract attorney is before you sign anything. We review proposed agreements, identify one-sided terms, negotiate modifications, and add provisions that protect our clients when something goes wrong. A well-drafted indemnification clause, a properly scoped limitation of liability, a clear termination provision. These are the details that matter when a business relationship deteriorates. That upfront investment in a well-drafted contract is almost always cheaper than the cost of fixing a bad deal after the fact.
Handling Multi-Party Agreements
Business transactions frequently involve three or more parties. Joint ventures, subcontractor arrangements, and succession planning structures all create overlapping contractual obligations. When one party defaults, the impact cascades to the others. We draft multi-party agreements with clear allocation of rights and responsibilities, and we enforce them when those terms are breached.
Dealing with Contract Modification and Termination
Contracts evolve. Terms that made sense at signing may not fit the realities of a deal two years later. We advise clients on proper modification procedures under Montana law and draft amendments that preserve the enforceability of the original agreement. Modifications that aren’t handled correctly can void the protections you had in the original contract, which is why this process needs legal guidance. And when a contract needs to end, whether by mutual agreement, for cause, or through rescission, we handle the termination process to minimize exposure and preserve the client’s ability to enforce surviving obligations like non-compete or confidentiality provisions.
Contact Silverman Law Office
If you need a contract drafted, reviewed, or enforced in Billings, MT, we want to hear from you. We’ll sit down, review your situation, and explain your options in plain terms. Whether you’re entering a new business relationship or trying to get out of a bad one, we can help you figure out the right path.
Silverman Law Office serves Billings-area businesses and individuals from offices across Montana. Contact us to schedule a consultation with a Montana contract attorney who has been doing this work for more than two decades.
