At Bjornson Law Offices, we work closely with our clients and collaboratively with one another towards achieving our clients' goals. We believe that the success in delivering timely, cost-effective results to our clients is a team effort — one made possible only by the talent and dedication of the paralegals, support staff and attorneys who work here.
Attorneys
Staff
- Jodine Tarbert
- Sandra Beers
- Stacy Jackson
- Carol McIlnay
- Kassy Parker
David H. Bjornson
Mr. Bjornson has spent his 24 year legal career practicing both in Seattle, Washington, and in Missoula, Montana, specializing in business transactions, contracts, loan transactions, corporate law, business organizations (including corporations, limited liability companies and partnerships), private and public business financings, real estate, tax litigation, tax planning, estate planning, trusts and probate, and alternative dispute resolution in lieu of litigation. Currently the principal in Bjornson Law Offices, P.C., located in Missoula, Montana, he was formerly a partner with Boone, Karlberg & Haddon in Missoula, and was an attorney with the Seattle law firms of Monahan & Biagi and Bogle & Gates, a large 200+ attorney firm. Prior to law school, David was employed as a certified public accountant by the international accounting firm of Touche Ross & Co. He was also formerly in-house corporate counsel, an executive officer and board member of Jore Corporation, a significant manufacturer of tools and tool accessories located in Ronan, Montana, which during that tenure successfully completed a public offering of its shares for $46 Million. He has a depth of experience in structuring companies and nurturing companies in their early growth phases through and into substantial revenues, multiple owners and classes of owners, investors and lenders, and a formal board of directors and officer slate. He holds a Masters of Laws degree (LL.M.) in taxation from New York University (1988), a J.D. degree (with honors) from the University of Montana (1985), a B.A. degree in Business Administration (with honors) from the University of Montana (1979), and a Certified Public Accountant Certificate (1981) (cert. maint.). He is admitted to practice before the United States Tax Court, the U.S. Federal District Court in Montana, and is a member of the American Association of Attorneys - Certified Public Accountants.
Daniel P. Cahalan
Daniel P. Cahalan grew up on a family farm in northern Iowa, and graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 1980. After attending the Universitat Munchen (Munich) on a Rotary Fellowship, he received a Masters in International Business from the American Graduate School in International Management (Thunderbird) in 1982. He worked as a commodities trader for Continental Grain until moving to Missoula in 1988. Dan started teaching in the Business School at the University of Montana in 1989 and was voted the "Most Inspirational Professor on Campus" in 1993. While continuing to teach, he attended the University of Montana, School of Law, receiving his juris doctorate in 1996.
After becoming a member of the Montana Bar Association, he continued to teach Business Law in the Business School, Insurance Law for Connole-Morton, and various liability and employment law courses as continuing education for CPA's with Western CPE of Bozeman. His entrepreneurial interests led him to start a successful real estate development business and an IT support business. He currently specializes in real estate transactions, business transactions, business organizations, contracts, Internet commerce, and trademark and copyright law. In his spare time Dan is frequently seen on an MCT stage, enjoying the company of his three children, or on his mountain bike.
Tyler Gernant
Tyler Gernant is a native Montanan who graduated from Georgetown University in 2004 and went on to earn his juris doctorate, with honors, from the University of Montana School of Law in 2007. He specializes in business transactions, contracts, copyright, corporate law, business organizations, real estate transactions and taxation.
Mr. Gernant is active in the community as a co-founder of Missoula Greenhorns, a young business professional networking group, co-founder and President of Rural Advocacy League, a nonprofit organization, and as a member of the Government Cable Channel Advisory Commission for the City of Missoula. When Mr. Gernant is out of the office, he can often be found fishing on one of the many lakes and rivers surrounding Missoula or playing basketball.
Ryan "Nick" Jones
Finding something more than a paycheck" was Nick's inspiration for going to law school. Few people would imagine that practicing in the areas of taxation, estate planning, business transactions, real estate and corporate law would fill that niche for anyone - but it has. Nick finds tremendous enjoyment not only in the intellectual rigors of law, but more importantly, in assisting clients to accomplish their business goals, mitigate their worries associated with estate planning, or their fear of taking on the IRS.
Nick is a native Utahan and completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Utah. After taking a few years to explore the workforce, Nick was accepted to the University of Montana School of Law were he graduated with a Juris Doctorate degree, with Honors (8th in his class). While concurrently enrolled in law school, Nick completed substantial undergraduate work at the University of Montana's School of Business and nearly completed a Master's of Business Administration. Subsequently, Nick received a merit based scholarship to study taxation at the University of Washington School of Law in Seattle, where he earned a Master's in Taxation (LL.M.).
In his free time, Nick likes to go on frequent weekend road trips, enjoy Missoula's great downtown and many bike paths, spend time with his long-time partner and fiancé Camille, and relax in his recliner.
Susan Callaghan
Susan Callaghan has practiced law for 20 years, 12 of which were spent as in-house counsel for The Montana Power Company and its successor, Touch America, Inc. She has also been in private practice and has worked as the Deputy County Attorney for Anaconda-Deer Lodge County. She has developed expertise in the areas of land use, water, natural resource, energy, utility, telecommunications, commercial, regulatory, local government and governmental affairs, environmental, safety and health, criminal law and family law. She also has litigation experience related to those areas. As in-house counsel for MPC and TA, Susan provided a wide-range of legal services to all of MPC's and TA's regulated (State and Federal) and unregulated business lines, which business lines included a regulated natural gas and electric utility, a regulated propane business, and unregulated coal, natural gas and oil, telecommunications, and technology business lines. These businesses were located in many states and in Canada. As a result, she provided legal services and advice related to projects located in various parts of the United States and in Canada. This work included creating joint ventures, drafting and negotiating contracts, work to acquire real estate or interests therein, and work associated with building and operating projects, to include environmental, regulatory, and land use work.
