Susan G. Ridgeway

Senior Counsel

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

An experienced litigator in both state and federal court, Susan has helped small and large companies with their legal needs for over 25 years. Her clients include construction contractors, property developers, banks, health care providers, cryobanks, manufacturers, suppliers, and retailers. Susan has a solid record of achieving proactive and cost-efficient resolutions for her clients, both in and out of court.

A portion of Susan’s practice has been dedicated to establishing and protecting family rights.  For 12 years she has provided legal services to create and protect families in assisted reproductive technology arrangements.  She is recognized as a legal authority in Montana on surrogacy, reproductive donation, and parentage rights and has obtained remedies for LGBTQ+ parents and their children, including two groundbreaking Montana Supreme Court decisions.

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
  • The Best Lawyers in America®; Family Law, 2024-2025; Commercial Litigation, 2025
  • Martindale-Hubbell®, AV Preeminent Peer Review Rated
  • Mountain States Super Lawyers®, Civil Litigation: Defense, 2020, 2022-2024; 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 construction surety bond litigation, construction defect and design litigation, workers’ compensation, 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 Bar Association
  • Denver Bar Association
  • 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
  • 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

Christopher D. Bryan

Member

Chris represents a variety of clients in matters involving premises liability, products liability, construction, professional liability, real estate and other general litigation matters, with a particular emphasis on hospitality and retail industries.   He is well-versed in all phases of litigation, and his trial and appellate experience includes conducting jury trials and appeals in Colorado, New York, and New Jersey.

Prior to joining Hall & Evans in 2011, Chris was an Associate at a large firm in New York City, where he also served as an approved mediator for the New York Courts, EEOC, and Safe Horizons Community Mediation Centers.  As a mediator, he conducted over 75 mediations covering a wide range of cases including: personal injury, employment, and disability discrimination, juvenile issues, landlord/tenant, creditor/debtor, construction, contracts, and various community or family-based disputes.  Chris has also completed more than 100 hours of mediation training including advanced training in domestic violence, divorce mediation, and cross-cultural issues.

Practice Areas

Bar Admissions

  • Colorado, 2010
  • New Jersey, 2008
  • New York, 2009
  • U.S. District Court, District of Colorado
  • U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey
  • U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York

Location

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

Education

JD: Benjamin Cardozo School of Law, 2008
BA: Metropolitan State College of Denver, 2001, Journalism

Contact

bryanc@hallevans.com

More About
Christopher

Resume

Linkedin

 

Career Distinctions & Honors
  • Colorado Super Lawyers®, “Rising Star,” Civil Litigation: Defense, 2017-2019
  • While a law student at Benjamin Cardozo School of Law, Chris was a member of one of the nation’s top-ranked Mediation Clinics, a Finalist in the 2006-2007 ABA Representation in Mediation Competition, and a Member of the Arts & Entertainment Law Journal.
Professional Associations
  • Colorado Bar Association
  • Denver Bar Association
  • Foodservice Industry Risk Management Association
  • Colorado Restaurant Association
  • ALFA International
  • National Retail and Restaurant Defense Association
Blog Posts About Christopher

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