Zachary D. Wagner

Member

Zachary Wagner’s diverse practice is focused primarily on complex civil litigation involving real estate disputes, contract disputes, premises liability, hospitality & retail, wrongful death, and products liability matters. A large portion of his practice involves counseling individuals, public entities, and private businesses in employment law and constitutional law matters through litigation, appeals, and administrative proceedings. Mr. Wagner is an experienced litigator and has successfully tried many cases to verdict in both state and federal court across Colorado.

Practice Areas

Bar Admissions

  • Colorado, 2011
  • U.S. District Court, District of Colorado

Location

Denver Office
1001 17th Street
Suite 300
Denver, CO 80202

Education

JD: University of Colorado Law School, 2011
BA: University of Arkansas, 2007, History, summa cum laude

Contact

wagnerz@hallevans.com

More About
Zachary

Resume

Linkedin

Business & Community Service
  • Big, Big Brothers Big Sisters, 2015-present

Susan G. Ridgeway

Senior Counsel

Susan Ridgeway’s practice emphasizes civil litigation and surrogacy and reproductive donation law.

Susan is an experienced litigator in both state and federal court and has a solid record of achieving proactive and cost-efficient resolutions for her clients, both in and out of court.

Her services typically involve real property (design, construction, development, management, sale, foreclosure), health care (professional employment, HIPAA compliance, business and software agreements, fertility law), and defense of legal malpractice claims.  She has represented large and small businesses and individuals in a wide range of matters. 

For the last fifteen years, a portion of Susan’s practice has been dedicated to establishing and protecting family rights in assisted reproductive technology arrangements.  She has obtained remedies for LGBTQ+ parents and their children, including two groundbreaking Montana Supreme Court decisions, routinely represents parties in surrogacy and gamete or embryo donation arrangements, and is recognized as a fertility law authority in Montana.

Practice Areas

Bar Admissions

  • Montana, 1991
  • Washington (inactive), 1992
  • U.S. District Court, District of Montana
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Washington
  • U.S. Bankruptcy Court, District of Montana

Location

Missoula Office
125 Bank Street
Suite 403
Missoula, MT 59802

Education

JD: University of Montana, 1990, with honors
BA: University of Montana, 1984, History, with honors

Contact

ridgeways@hallevans.com

More About
Susan

Resume

Linkedin

Career Distinctions & Honors
  • Martindale-Hubbell®, AV Preeminent Peer Review Rated
  • The Best Lawyers in America®; Family Law, 2024-2026; Commercial Litigation, 2025-2026; Construction Law, 2026; Corporate Law, 2026
  • Mountain States Super Lawyers®, Civil Litigation: Defense, 2020, 2022-2025; Business Litigation, 2021
  • University of Montana School of Law, Guest Lecturer, 2016-present
Professional Experience
  • Partner, Axilon Law, Missoula, Montana, 2015-2021
  • Solo Practitioner, Missoula, Montana, 2000-2015
  • Associate Attorney, Datsopoulos, MacDonald & Lind, P.C., Missoula, Montana, 1995-2000
  • Assistant Attorney General, State of Washington, Spokane, Washington, 1992-1995
  • Judicial Law Clerk, Washington State Court of Appeals, Seattle, Washington, 1990-1992
Professional Associations
  • American Bar Association, Litigation and Assisted Reproductive Technologies Groups
  • American Academy of Reproductive Technology Attorneys, Fellow
  • Family Law Institute of the National LGBT Bar Association
  • Society for Ethical Egg Donation and Surrogacy
  • State Bar of Montana
Business & Community Service
  • Friends of Missoula Parks, Board Member, 2016-present
  • Missoula City Parks and Recreation, Board Member, 2013-2016
  • Missoula County Public Schools, Writing Coach or Policy Committee Member, 2010-2013
  • Missoula Strikers Soccer Association, Team Manager, Assistant Coach, or Referee 2005-2011
  • Missoula Community School, Board Member, 2001-2002
  • Blue Mountain Clinic, Board Member, 1996-1999
Other Activities
  • Susan enjoys cycling, mountain biking, and playing ice hockey with friends.
Blog Posts About Susan

Tucker E. Allen

Senior Associate

Tucker Allen joined Hall & Evans, LLC as an Associate in 2021. Tucker routinely tackles complex and technical cases in state and federal court across a wide variety of industries. He coordinates customized strategies for clients at every stage of litigation from discovery, pre-trial motions, depositions of party and expert witnesses, to trial. Tucker also regularly handles the settlement of high-stakes cases at mediations and through informal settlement discussions. Tucker’s civil litigation practice is focused on transportation, premises liability, products liability, and professional liability. He also has experience in employment law, medical malpractice, and general commercial litigation.

Tucker earned his law degree from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law along with an Environmental and Natural Resources and Environmental Law Certificate.  While in law school, Tucker was Vice President of the University of Denver Land-Use Law Society, Articles Editor for the University of Denver Water Law Review, and a member of the Natural Resource and Environmental Law Society.  Tucker also served as Law Clerk for the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado, clerked for a lobbying firm, and a civil litigation firm specializing in real estate litigation.

Practice Areas

Bar Admissions

  • Colorado, 2018
  • U.S. District Court, District of Colorado

Location

Denver Office
1001 17th Street
Suite 300
Denver, CO 80202

Education

JD: University of Denver Sturm College of Law, 2018

BA: University of Colorado, 2015, Journalism-News Editorial, Emphasis in Public Relations, Minor in Political Science

Certificate: Environmental and Natural Resources Law, University of Denver Sturm College of Law, 2018

Contact

allent@hallevans.com

More About
Tucker

Resume

Linkedin

Career Distinctions & Honors

  • Vice President, University of Denver Land-Use Law Society, 2017-2018

  • Articles Editor, University of Denver Water Law Review, 2016-2018

Professional Experience
  • Law Clerk, United States Attorney’s Office, District of Colorado, Denver, CO, 2016
Articles & Publications // Presentations // Webinars

  • Co-Author, “Key Implications of The Denver Green Roof Initiative,” Colorado Real Estate Journal, January 2018

  • Co-Author, “Legislature Passes ‘Standard Form’ Requirements,” Colorado Real Estate Journal, October 2017

  • Co-Author, “No-Pet Policies Don’t Apply to Service Animals,” Colorado Real Estate Journal, July 2017

  • Author, “Conflicts and Cooperation: The Past, Present, and Future of Interstate Water Compacts,” Colorado River Compact Issues Affecting the Navajo Water Projects, University of Denver Water Law Review, April 2016

Professional Associations
  • Colorado Defense Lawyers Association
Blog Posts About Tucker

Francesca M. Coleman

Senior Associate

Francesca Coleman focuses on the defense of construction defect and professional liability claims. Ms. Coleman represents construction professionals, architects, and engineers throughout all phases of litigation. Ms. Coleman is also experienced with matters involving real estate nondisclosure, contract disputes, intra-business disputes, homeowner’s association disputes, premises liability, employment liability, and workers’ compensation. Before joining Hall & Evans, Ms. Coleman was an associate at a general civil litigation firm in Denver, CO where she gained extensive deposition and trial experience.

Ms. Coleman graduated from the University of Wyoming College of Law on the Dean’s Honor Roll. While earning her J.D., she was a Law Intern with the Colorado State Public Defender’s Office in Fort Collins, Colorado, and interned for insurance defense firms in Colorado and Wyoming.

Practice Areas

Bar Admissions

  • Colorado, 2018
  • Wyoming, 2021

Location

Denver Office
1001 17th Street
Suite 300
Denver, CO 80202

Education

JD: University of Wyoming College of Law, 2018, Dean’s List
BSA: Colorado State University, 2015, Business Management and Political Science

Contact

colemanf@hallevans.com

More About
Francesca

Resume

Linkedin

Decisions
  • Won summary judgment on behalf of property owner concerning whether a common interest community was formed by implication of law.
Professional Associations
  • Colorado Bar Association
  • Denver Bar Association
    • Young Lawyers Division
Professional Experience
  • Associate, Robinson & Henry, P.C., Denver, CO 2019-2021
  • Associate/Law Clerk, Lee & Brown, LLC, Denver, CO 2019-2020
  • Law Clerk, Sundahl Powers, Kapp & Martin, LLC, Cheyenne, WY 2017
Other Activities
  • Gold Level Judge for U.S. Figure Skating
Blog Posts About Francesca

Ryan P. Browne

Member

Ryan Browne practices in our Montana office.  He has maintained a diverse civil litigation practice over the past nine years.  His experience includes representing individuals; local, regional, and national businesses; public entities; and non-profit organizations.  Mr. Browne’s practice areas include construction and design defect and deficiency, premises liability, workers’ compensation, realtor/broker professional negligence, fire suppression system ITM professional negligence, transportation, and general tort defense.

Mr. Browne has successfully defended large national retailers in complex and high exposure cases.  He has successfully obtained the dismissal of claims and cases by way of dispositive motion practice on numerous occasions.  Mr. Browne has represented clients in the justice, tribal, state, and federal courts across Montana and at all stages of litigation including mediation and trial.

Mr. Browne has been on the Board of Trustees for the Yellowstone County Bar Association since 2017 and has been Montana’s Young Lawyer Delegate to the ABA House of Delegates since 2019.

Practice Areas

Bar Admissions

  • Montana, 2010
  • U.S. District Court, District of Montana

Location

Billings Office

175 North 27th Street
Suite 1101
Billings, MT 59101

Education

JD: University of Montana School of Law, 2010
BA & BS: Regis University, 2007, History & Political Economy, Dean’s List

Contact

browner@hallevans.com

More About
Ryan

Resume

Career Distinctions & Honors
  • The Best Lawyers in America®, Litigation − Real Estate, 2026
  • Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America; Construction Law, Litigation ­­- Real Estate, and Transportation Law, 2022-2025
Professional Experience
  • Law Clerk, Hon. Susan P. Watters, Montana’s 13th Judicial District, 2010-2011
  • Clinical Intern, United States Attorney’s Office, Billings, MT, 2009-2010
  • Special Deputy County Attorney, Yellowstone County Attorney’s Office, Billings, MT, 2008-2009
Professional Associations
  • American Bar Association
    • House of Delegates, Montana’s Young Lawyer Delegate, 2019 – present
  • State Bar of Montana
  • Yellowstone Area Bar Association
    • Board of Trustees, 2017 – 2021
Business & Community Service
  • Score, Billings Chapter
Blog Posts About Ryan

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