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  • Leisher & Landsiedel P.C.

Who We Are

A small firm of careful thinkers and serious outdoors people, doing law a little differently.

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  • Our Attorneys

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We’re happy to talk. There’s no charge for figuring out whether we’re the right fit.
F. Peter Landsiedel
Paul M. Leisher
Matthew Paoli-Asaro
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F. Peter Landsiedel

Partner

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Paul M. Leisher

Partner

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Matt Asaro

Associate Attorney

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We’re a boutique law firm based in Montana, working with clients across the country. People often tell us we’re not normal lawyers. We take pride in that.

We hike, ski, climb, fish, hunt, mountain bike, and put real miles on our trucks. The mountains have a way of cutting through unnecessary noise. So does good legal counsel. We bring the same clarity, patience, and respect for the terrain to our work that we bring to a long day in the backcountry.
We’re a boutique by choice. That means we know our clients, we choose our cases, and we take responsibility for everything we put our name on.
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F. Peter Landsiedel

Partner

About Peter

A Great Falls, Montana native, I studied German and Philosophy at the University of Montana and graduated in 2011 with Bachelor’s degrees in both.  I then attended law school in Missoula, and found a passion for criminal defense.  
 
After graduating law school, I returned to Great Falls and began practicing at a firm that handled criminal defense almost exclusively.  After two years, my wife and I returned to Missoula where we set down roots.  I expanded my practice areas to include civil litigation and general business representation. 
 
Now, with Leisher & Landsiedel, I focus on defending fellow citizens from criminal charges.  I am a member of the Criminal Justice Act Panel for the District of Montana, representing indigent defendants in Federal Court.  Peter prides himself on his no-B.S. advice to clients and ability to find ways over, through, or around intractable problems.  Throughout his career, Peter has defended cases ranging from traffic tickets through first degree murder. 
 
When not in court, you can find me at the rifle range where I am a Designated Shoot Boss and rifle marksmanship instructor for Project Appleseed.  I also compete in IDPA style handgun matches during the summer. I enjoy backpacking, hiking around Missoula, and international travel.
 
Bar Admissions:
  • Montana State Court
  • U.S. District Court for the District of Montana
  • 9th Circuit Court of Appeals
  • United States Supreme Court
  • CSKT Tribal Court

About Paul

I received my J.D., with honors, from the University of Montana School of Law, clerked for a Montana Supreme Court Justice, and then began a litigation practice. 
My interest in small business and real estate led me to a transactional practice focused on drafting more transparent and effective contracts, operating agreements, and JV agreements covering all aspects of business agreements on behalf of small to medium sized businesses and real estate investors.
My litigation background combined with my focus on small business and real estate allows me to offer high-quality representation related to all aspects of small business and real estate, whether that’s drafting an LLC operating agreement or litigating a construction dispute.
 
I do a substantial amount of pro bono and low cost work on behalf of local non-profits and individuals and small businesses who otherwise would not be able to afford legal counsel.
The small caseload allows me to give my full attention to my cases and remain responsive to my clients, while giving back to my community and pursuing my own small business interests.
 
I devote my free time to mountain biking, backpacking, rock climbing, fly fishing, hunting, and skiing, and reading.
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Paul M. Leisher

Partner

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Matthew Paoli-Asaro

Associate

About Matthew

Born in New York, I moved to Missoula, Montana at a young age, where I grew up and eventually studied law at the University of Montana. Moving across the U.S. early in life, I learned to adapt to new environments while remaining curious, humble, and kind. 
 
During law school, I worked as an editor of the Montana Law Review, competed in National Moot Court, and served as president of the Montana Trial Lawyers Association student chapter. I also studied a semester in Granada, Spain, where—following a year clerking at the Montana Supreme Court—I returned to assist with a cross-border legal education project. 
 
I decided to pursue law to make a meaningful difference in people’s lives. I enjoy working with forward-thinking leaders and entrepreneurs, helping them realize their goals through creative legal solutions. I am also a passionate advocate for justice and democracy, working to vindicate our constitutional rights and hold powerful bad actors accountable. I’m fortunate to do this work with Leisher & Landsiedel. Outside of the office, you can find me in the mountains, on the water, or grilling out back with friends and family.
  • Who We Are

How we think about the work

Law is complicated, and most lawyers cope with that complexity by following the example of other lawyers: “If I do it the way everyone else does it, I can’t be accused of doing it wrong.” That’s a defense against criticism. It’s not the same thing as serving a client.
 
We do the harder work first. We think from first principles by asking what the task actually needs to accomplish, then figure out the most efficient and effective way to get there. The result is meaningful savings in time, cost, and energy, and better solutions.
 
A few examples of what that looks like in practice:
The notary problem

Most firms will ask you to drive to their office and sign your discovery responses in front of their notary. We email them for e-signature. The federal rules (and most states’ rules) only require interrogatory responses to be made under oath, and a declaration satisfies that requirement. No notary needed. See Richard v. Dignean, 332 F.R.D. 450, 457 (W.D.N.Y. 2019). A small thing on its own. Multiplied across a case, it adds up.

Most lawyers stop at “Yes, the statute requires one.” We keep going. If the state imposes no penalty for operating without one, and the project will be reviewed by the county anyway, the actual risk may be zero. Knowing the actual risks is what lets you make the best decision.

Yes, you can almost always get sued. That answer by itself is useless. The questions that matter are how likely it is, how much it would cost, whether insurance would cover it, and what the tradeoffs are. We think about questions like this from the perspectives of decades of collective experience in court, rather than from a theoretical perspective. We can give you the full picture so you can conduct the necessary cost/benefit analysis. We can tell you what is probable, not just what is possible.

“Yes, for liability protection” is the easy answer. The honest answer is that it depends. LLCs only protect you if you actually treat them as separate entities by keeping separate accounts, filing annual reports on time, naming the LLC on the insurance policy, keeping personal and company funds separate, etc. In most lawsuits we’ve seen, an LLC made no real difference to the outcome. Insurance coverage did. We’ll walk you through what actually matters for your situation, so you can make smart risk management decisions.

  • Who We Are

Efficient by design, technologically fluent

The danger attorneys run by tying their income to the amount of time they spend on a project is that they have a financial incentive to be inefficient. We don’t want to make the most money off of you possible, we want to be the best attorney you’ll ever have. Part of that is making sure we provide good value. There are innumerable tools available that reduce the burden on you and us, from e-signature platforms to electronic billing and payment systems to LLMs. We use and actively seek tools that make our processes more efficient and improve the quality of our work product so we can provide you better value.

The Bottomline

People hire a lawyer because something matters. Our job is to make sure that thing is in good hands, that you know it is in good hands, and that our work never costs you more than it’s worth. Our goal is to make whatever situation you’re dealing with cost you as little of your time, money, and peace of mind as possible.
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  • Testimonials

Why Clients Choose Us

“I hired Paul to represent the State of Montana in an extremely complex lawsuit against multiple major corporations when I was Montana’s Attorney General. Paul stood toe-to-toe with many big corporate attorneys and recovered over $100 million dollars for Montanans. He’s an extraordinary litigator and I’d hire him again if I needed an attorney.”
Timothy FoxMontana Attorney General 2013–2021
“[Defendant] does not challenge that Plaintiffs’ attorneys are skilled practitioners who provided quality representation. This is consistent with the Court’s observations throughout the case. Specifically, it bears noting that Mr. Leisher’s cross-examination of Adam was devastating to Defendant’s credibility and, ultimately, his case. It was a powerful example of how effective an understated approach to cross can be.”
Hon. Paul SullivanDistrict Court Judge (MT 11th J.D.)
“Paul was wonderful to work with. He is smart, knowledgeable, responsive, and reliable. I highly recommend Paul if you have any legal needs in his area of expertise.”
Mark W. JenneyFounder of RVshare
“Paul Leisher is an outstanding lawyer—extremely able, very creative, and packed with integrity. He served the State of Iowa in an extraordinary way.”
Thomas J. MillerIowa Attorney General 1979–1991, 1995–2023
"There are a million reasons to hire this guy. Amazing human being, animal professionally. Glad he’s on our side! Would hire 1000 / 10 times."
Foley SchmidtCo-Founder, Mindful Real Estate Partners
"By far the best and only attorneys I would recommend. As a small business owner, it is nearly impossible to find someone such as Paul. Willing to go the extra mile without asking for more than a majority of small business owners are worth just to have a consultation! For me it got to the point of just the principal, who is going to hold people accountable if the judicial system is too expensive and fails us. You can trust Paul and Peter, attorneys who understand and can relate to the working class. You would be mistaken to call anyone else. Do business with people who care and don’t waste your time or money."
Elizabeth ChmielewskiCo-Owner of Multiple Small Businesses
"I would highly recommend Leisher & Landsiedel! I can’t say enough great things about Peter and what he does as an attorney. Peter is very organized and pays close attention to detail. I could tell from the effort that he puts in to the work that he is passionate in the work he does. I am grateful and can say with confidence that Peter cares and will not mislead or guide in a wrong direction. Peter stands by your side and gives great advice. Very responsive and informative. Thanks Peter for everything! Look no further if you want a great attorney! Truly one of a kind!"
James Shulteis
"Peter Landsiedel recently helped me with a criminal law matter with a positive outcome. He was amazing. He treated with kindness and respect through the whole process. He explained every aspect of the process and took the time to answer every question I had. I would recommend him anytime."
Savannah S.
"Peter did an amazing job overall with a positive result. Specifically, he never bullshitted me on the process or possible outcomes. He was quick to update me as any new info was made available. If I had a question he was quick to answer. Cannot recommend him enough."
Chris Bowden