Dale McGarvey

Dale McGarvey (1927-2017)

Founder

Born and raised in Montana, Dale McGarvey founded his firm in Kalispell in 1955 and spent his career fiercely advocating for fellow Montanans and the wild lands he so loved. His legal achievements were extensive; among other victories, he helped protect property owners in a 100-year flood zone from predatory insurance policies, pushed the Columbia Falls aluminum plant to enact environmental controls while protecting local jobs, and ensured that farmers were properly compensated for land taken when the Kootenai Dam was built.

Dale spent summers camping on the shores of Lake McDonald and worked as a section hand on the railroad before receiving his law degree from the University of Montana, where he graduated at the top of his class. He earned a Master of Laws degree from Harvard Law School before returning to Montana to fight for what was right, work he described as a labor of love.

“We all have a stake in making this a better community, a better state, and a better nation.”