Baldwin Law PLLC

Experience, tenacity, and a commitment to excellence

Baldwin Law specializes in civil litigation in the state and federal courts of Montana. Our practice areas include, among others, insurance disputes—both coverage and bad faith, corporate/business matters such as shareholder squeeze-outs or other disputes, contract litigation, real estate litigation, and automobile accidents and other personal injury claims.

Bob grew up in New York, northern Vermont, and Tennessee, before heading west. He spent three years practicing at a large law firm in Phoenix, Arizona before heading to Bozeman, where he has practiced since 1990.

His practice consists overwhelmingly of litigation and trial practice, representing plaintiffs (often on a contingency fee basis) and defendants in complex commercial, business tort, corporate/shareholder disputes and insurance cases. He also represents plaintiffs in personal injury cases. Bob has obtained several verdicts and settlements in excess of $1 million against various defendants, including the Spanish Peaks Resort in Big Sky, Montana and the founder of the Yellowstone Club. Bob also obtained a $3.8 million jury verdict in a defamation case against a Kalispell radio station. Other typical cases include disputes over real property contracts, real estate development rights, and insurance coverage/bad faith cases.

Past results afford no guarantees of future results. Every case is different and must be judged on its own merits.

Robert K. BaldwinAttorney at Law

Practice Areas

Sometimes an insurance company may not give you the protection that you think you have paid for. Unfortunately, sometimes it takes litigation to obtain the protection for which the policyholder has paid. I have represented parties on both sides of such disputes involving property, automobile, and liability coverages.

Insurance companies not only have a duty to honor their contract (the policy) with the policyholder, but also to treat the insured or an injured third-party fairly and in good faith. If your own insurance company—or an insurance company for someone else, for instance, who has injured you with their vehicle—fails to treat you properly, you may have a claim against them for compensation in addition to your claim for benefits under the policy. I have represented clients in many such disputes and lawsuits.

Sometimes parties to a contract disagree about what it means or requires. Other times, one party may just default on its obligations. I have represented both plaintiffs and defendants in many such disputes, ranging from real estate deals that went sideways, construction contract suits, employment contract disputes, and otherwise.

Corporate shareholders may be treated unfairly by their fellow shareholders or others in control. The same thing can happen in a limited liability company or partnership. I have represented individuals in many disputes between shareholders, LLC members, and partners.

Unfortunately, sometimes we get hurt through no fault of our own. Or someone else’s negligence may damage our property. I represent injured victims—or their families—in obtaining compensation from the wrongdoers, whether involving an automobile collision, medical negligence, or otherwise.

Law firms from Montana—and Chicago and Salt Lake City—have hired me to defend them against claims brought against them in Montana. Other lawyers have hired me to represent them in dealing with their partners while moving to a new practice.

While I am proud of the work I do for ordinary Montanans, I am also proud to provide quality representation to large companies in significant disputes involving insurance and other business matters. As one example, I represented an insurance company that was accused of breaching its duty to defend its insured. When I got involved, the carrier faced liability in excess of $15 million (including interest), which the courts ultimately reduced to zero, even awarding fees to my client. I have achieved other confidential eight-figure settlements in other contexts.

I am a member of the American Academy of Appellate Lawyers. I have handled many appeals to the Montana Supreme Court and the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, some of which are described above under “representative appeals.

There is an unlimited variety of situations in which one may need help from the courts. An experienced trial attorney can help you obtain justice in asserting your meritorious claims or defending against someone else’s claims.