stands up to bullies.  She is competitive and hates losing.  If she decides to take your case, she will be “in it to win it.”  Liz has significant legal experience representing both plaintiffs and defendants, which makes her highly skilled at evaluating and assessing risk on both sides of the table.  She has great instincts and intuition, strong interpersonal skills, and creative problem-solving skills, coupled with a firm grasp of the rules of civil procedure and evidence. Simply put, Liz gets it.

Liz received her undergraduate degrees in German and Foreign Affairs from the University of Virginia.  She was a member of the school’s NCAA Division I rowing team.

Liz graduated in the top of her class at Gonzaga University School of Law (magna cum laude), where she was an Associate Editor of the Gonzaga Law Review.  In law school, Varela and her moot court team won 2nd Best Brief in the Nation and placed in the Final Four at the National Moot Court Competition in New York City.

After gaining extensive experience working as a trial lawyer in the biggest firm in Montana; at a small, but mighty plaintiff’s firm; and a boutique defense firm, Liz decided to start her own firm to fulfill her personal and professional mission: Empowering People!

solves serious problems with spreadsheets. He is an Excel genius (at least in Liz’s eyes). Steve earned his bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and Integrated Science and Technology from James Madison University. Steve began his career in the automotive industry as a manager and assistant controller, where he developed a deep love for accounting, finance, and Liz. He later earned a bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Montana State University–Billings. An avid baseball fan, Steve had his Don Larsen moment when he recorded a perfect score on the auditing section of the Certified Public Accountant (“CPA”) examination. He worked as a CPA in the auditing department of a large regional public accounting firm in Billings for several years, and later as a financial controller and accounting manager for a large regional construction company.

At the beginning of 2020, Steve joined Varela Law Firm as its on-staff Accountant, Office Manager and Paralegal. For example, Steve works together with Liz and the Firm’s clients to calculate damages. Depending on the type of case, that may mean figuring out past and future lost wages; past and future medical bills; figuring out who stole what from Grandma’s trust account, etc.

Liz the Lawyer and Steve the Accountant are a powerful team. They have married their professional and personal strengths to serve the Firm’s clients in a unique, mission-driven way.