Are you looking for a law firm in Great Falls, MT?
At Silverman Law Office, PLLC, we provide business, estate planning, and real estate representation grounded in more than 20 years of work on behalf of clients in Great Falls.
If you’re starting a business, planning your estate, or buying property in Great Falls, the legal and financial questions overlap. Our Great Falls, MT law firm offers comprehensive support in one office. Founding attorney Joel Silverman has practiced for more than 20 years, with an advanced degree in tax law that shapes how we counsel businesses and families. We handle the paperwork, the filings, and the disputes that come with running a company or protecting what you own. Call to schedule a consultation.
Law Firm Great Falls, MT
A law firm is a business of one or more attorneys who advise clients and represent them in transactions and disputes. For a Great Falls business owner or family, that can mean forming an LLC, closing on a building, drafting a will, or settling an estate after a death. The work is practical, and it often crosses several areas at once. A single decision, like how you hold title to a piece of property, can touch your taxes, your business, and who inherits it later.
About 68 percent of homes in Great Falls are owner-occupied, according to Census figures. Property that people own outright tends to sit at the center of both real estate deals and estate plans. A Great Falls law firm that handles both sides can keep those matters from working against each other.
Types of Legal Matters We Handle in Great Falls, MT
Our practice covers the legal needs that most often bring Great Falls businesses and families to a lawyer. Some clients come to us once, for a single transaction. Others work with us for years as their companies and estates grow.
- Estate planning. We draft wills, trusts, and the documents that decide who manages your affairs if you cannot. Plans range from a straightforward will to layered trusts for families with property or a business to pass down. The goal is a plan that reflects what you actually want and holds up when it’s needed.
- Wills. A will names who inherits what and who oversees the process. We write wills that spare your family a longer stay in probate court and that stand up if a relative challenges them.
- Probate. When someone dies, their estate usually passes through probate before assets reach the heirs. We guide personal representatives through filings, creditor claims, and distribution, and we step in when heirs disagree.
- Real estate. We handle purchases, sales, leases, and title questions for buyers, sellers, and investors. Commercial and residential deals both carry risks that a careful review catches before closing rather than after. We also read the leases and easements that quietly shape what an owner can and cannot do with a property.
- Business litigation. Contracts break down and partners fall out. We represent companies in disputes over agreements, ownership, and unpaid obligations, both in negotiation and in court.
- Employer defense. Employment problems reach owners at the worst times. We advise employers on workplace policies and defend them when a current or former worker brings a claim.
- Elder care. Aging brings hard decisions about care, money, and legal authority. We help families arrange guardianships, conservatorships, and the protections that keep a vulnerable relative safe.
- Business formation and counsel. We form LLCs and corporations, draft operating agreements, and serve as ongoing counsel for owners who want legal questions answered before they turn into problems. Choosing the right structure early affects taxes, personal liability, and how easily you can add partners or sell down the road.
- Tax planning and controversy. Our founder holds an advanced degree in taxation. We build tax strategies for businesses and individuals, and we represent taxpayers in audits and disputes with the IRS. For clients who already owe back taxes, we weigh settlement and payment options before penalties and interest grow.
Why Choose Silverman Law Office, PLLC as My Law Firm in Great Falls, MT?
Two Decades of Business, Tax, and Estate Experience
Joel Silverman founded our firm and has practiced law for more than 20 years. He earned his law degree and an advanced degree in taxation from the University of San Diego, and he is admitted before the U.S. Tax Court in addition to Montana’s state and federal courts. That tax background matters more than it might sound. Business deals, estate plans, and property transfers all carry tax consequences, and we account for them from the start. Joel is a member of the State Bar of Montana and the American Bar Association.
One Firm for Connected Legal Needs
Most of what our clients face touches more than one area of law. A business sale raises tax and contract questions. An estate plan involves property and family. We handle those threads together, which keeps clients from hiring three lawyers who never speak to each other. When a problem does head to court, the same lawyer who structured the deal already knows the file. That continuity is hard to match when you hire a different lawyer in Great Falls for every new question. Over two decades, our attorneys in Great Falls have represented business owners, property investors, and families through matters that ranged from routine filings to contested disputes.
What Is Important to Understand About Working With a Great Falls Law Firm?
Key Legal Documents and What They Do
The right tool depends on what you own and what you’re trying to protect.
- A will directs who inherits your property and names who administers your estate.
- A trust holds assets under terms you set and can keep property out of probate.
- A power of attorney lets someone you choose handle finances or medical decisions if you cannot.
- An operating agreement sets the rules among the owners of an LLC.
- A deed transfers real property, and a title review confirms the seller can actually convey it.
A sound plan usually combines several of these, drafted so they work together instead of against each other.
What Are Important Aspects of a Great Falls Legal Matter?
A good outcome comes down to proactive measures. Details matter more than most clients expect.
- Clear records. Contracts, deeds, and financial statements decide most business and property matters.
- Deadlines. Montana law sets time limits for filing many claims, and a missed deadline can end a case before it starts.
- Ownership clarity. Local property law shapes how title transfers and gets recorded, and knowing who owns what prevents fights later.
- Honest valuation. Property and business interests need realistic numbers, not hopeful ones.
What Is the Timeline for a Great Falls Legal Matter?
Timelines vary widely depending on the legal matter. A real estate closing can resolve in weeks. A contested estate can run more than a year. Knowing the approximate timeline lets you plan around it, whether that means setting a closing date or telling heirs when to expect a distribution.
- Business formation: often a few days to a few weeks once the decisions are made.
- Real estate closing: commonly 30 to 60 days from accepted offer to closing.
- Estate planning: usually a few weeks, depending on how complex the plan is.
- Probate: often six months to a year, and longer when it’s contested.
- Litigation: months to years, driven by the court’s calendar and the other side.
What Should You Bring to Your Consultation?
Bringing the right paperwork lets us give you specific answers in the first meeting instead of general ones.
- For business matters: formation documents, contracts, and financial statements.
- For estate planning: a list of assets, account information, and any existing will or trust.
- For real estate: the deed, purchase agreement, and any title documents.
- For probate: the death certificate, the will, and a list of the estate’s assets and debts.
Expect the first meeting to focus on your goals and the options that fit them. We’ll outline the next steps before you leave.
Cascade County Courts and Local Resources
Great Falls sits in Cascade County, part of Montana’s Eighth Judicial District. A handful of offices come up often in local matters.
- The Eighth Judicial District Court hears probate, civil, and business disputes for the county.
- The Cascade County Clerk of District Court keeps probate and civil case records.
- The Clerk and Recorder records deeds, plats, and property documents.
- The Montana Secretary of State handles business registrations and annual reports.
- The Montana Judicial Branch publishes estate and probate forms and guidance.
Reach Out to Silverman Law Office, PLLC to Schedule a Consultation
When you’re ready, we’re here to help you protect what you’ve built. Contact us to schedule a consultation with Silverman Law Office, PLLC. We’ll review your situation, explain your options in plain terms, and outline what working together would look like. Our Great Falls attorneys answer questions from business owners and families across Cascade County, and we return calls promptly.
