Thiel Law Office, PLLC

 

Matthew B. Thiel

 

Matthew Thiel was born in Dillon, Montana, where his parents worked on his grandparents’ ranch.  Matt’s family moved to Helena, Montana in 1968, where he attended public schools and graduated from Capital High School.  Matt received his Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Montana with honors in 1986.  He then worked for the Montana Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO from 1987 to 1990 in Helena, before returning to Missoula to begin Law School.  Matt graduated from the University of Montana School of Law with honors in 1993, where he was Editor-in-Chief of the Law Review.  He began his private practice in Missoula as a sole practitioner, focusing on general practice.  He was a Partner of the law firm of Smith & Thiel from 1995 to 2006.  He is listed in The Best Lawyers in America (2012-2024) in the practice areas of Employee Benefits law, Employment law – Individuals, and Labor Law – Union.

 

Matt served on the Board of Trustees of the State Bar of Montana (2008-2015) and as President of the Montana Bar (2015‑2016). He is a regular presenter at the Montana Arbitration Association Conference and Montana State Bar New Lawyers Seminar, a guest lecturer at UM Law School, and is an organizer of the annual Montana Justice Foundation Art for Justice fundraiser.  Matt is President of Western States Bar Conference for 2025.

 

Matt has been a member of the American Bar Association, including the Labor and Employment Law Section, since beginning  his career. He served on the ABA Standing Committee on Membership (2018‑2021) and is currently the Montana State ABA delegate, the Montana State ABA Membership Chair, is an American Bar Foundation Patron Fellow and serves as the ABF Montana State Chair. Matt’s non-legal public service includes serving on the Montana Facilities Finance Authority (2008-2023),  the Montana Insurance Guarantee Association (2008-2019), and the Montana Museum of Art and Culture Collections Committee (2019-2024). 

 

MEMBERSHIPS

• Academy of Trial Advocacy

• American Association for Justice

• Montana Trial Lawyers Association

• American Bar Association

• State Bar of Montana

• Western Montana Bar Association

• American Bar Foundation Patron Fellow 

• ABA Section of Labor and Employment Law

 

REPRESENTATIVE CLIENTS

• Teamsters Local No. 2

• Laborers International Union of America, Local 1686, AFL-CIO

• International Union of Elevator Constructors, AFL-CIO

• United Food and Commercial Workers, AFL-CIO

• UNITE HERE!, Local Union 427, AFL-CIO

• SEIU Healthcare NW 775, AFL-CIO

• Good Food Store, Missoula, MT

• Missoula Community Access Television (MCAT)