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Douglas Buxbaum
Lawyer
Doug and his team understand the consequences to their clients of having suffered life-altering injuries and the tragic impact of the loss of a child, spouse or other loved one. These cases and the people they involve serve two important moral and legal goals: They make the system of healthcare and other industries and services safer for everyone, and they play a powerful deterrent role; they also provide a source of financial and medical security and just compensation under the law. Doug and his team have guided hundreds of clients to justice and compensation through both settlements and trial judgments involving large cumulative recoveries and settlements over the past 30 years.
Doug graduated from the law school at the University of Montana and took a position with a prominent law firm where he began specializing in cases involving medical errors, malpractice and personal injury. In 1992, Doug founded his own firm and practice primarily representing persons injured by medical malpractice. In the year 2000, Doug’s partner, Craig Daue, joined the firm. Between them, Doug and Craig have more than seventy years of collective experience in cases involving medical negligence and mistakes, personal injury and other complex cases resulting in serious injury and wrongful death.
Doug has handled and presented cases in almost all District Courts in Montana, the Montana Supreme Court, Federal District and Appellate level courts. Doug has also been actively involved in the briefing and presentation of cases in the United States Supreme Court. Our firm is a statewide practice, but Doug has also been admitted and has handled cases in other states, including Kansas, Wyoming, and Washington.
Doug has been continuously named and listed as one of the “Best Lawyers in America” since 2001. This organization awarded him the designation of Best Personal Injury Lawyer in 2013. Doug is also recognized by designation in “Rocky Mountain Super Lawyers.” He has been rated “AV preeminent” by the Martindale Hubbell rating organization for more than twenty consecutive years. Doug has been inducted as a Fellow in the highly regarded American College of Trial Lawyers. Doug has earned a reputation as an experienced and skillful medical litigation and trial lawyer with a high degree of professional integrity.
Doug enjoys representing and getting to know his clients and proving their cases. He is a history buff and enjoys study of the past. In addition to his demanding law practice, Doug actively participates in his cattle ranching operations in the Flint Creek region of Western Montana.
Doug has been involved in some of Montana’s largest medical negligence, and wrongful death cases. He also has extensive experience with Federal Tort Claims practice arising out of substandard health care to recipients of public health care. Douglas A. Buxbaum has been awarded Lawyer of the Year, 2013 from Best Lawyers, in the practice area of Personal Injury – Plaintiffs for the Missoula, Montana area. In addition, Doug has been included in The Best Lawyers in America listings for over a decade for Medical Malpractice – Plaintiffs and Personal Injury – Plaintiffs. Since 2007 Doug was included in the “Super Lawyers” listing for the practice areas of Medical Malpractice, Plaintiff and Personal Injury.
Doug is a frequent speaker and lecturer in continuing legal education and enjoys the highest (AV) rating from Martindale Hubbell. Doug is a member of the American and Montana bar associations and Montana Trial Lawyers Association.
Laurie J. Bersanti
Paralegal
Laurie has been a part of the BD law team since it’s inception in 1992 and as a paralegal to Doug Buxbaum since 1984. Her talents lie with initial client interviews and case evaluation, as well as client education in the litigation process from initial acceptance through resolution by settlement, mediation, or trial. A critical component of her responsibilities in each case is the communication and coordination of medical experts across the nation. Following case resolution, she assists in medical expense lien resolution with insurance companies, Medicare and Medicaid. In the past 30 years Laurie has assisted clients in hundreds of medical legal panel hearings, depositions, mediations, and trials. It is a truly a rewarding experience to take tragic medical circumstances experienced by a client and help bring some security and manageability to families struggling with all aspects of an injured loved one’s life.
Laurie has a degree in Business from Montana State University, and she has been a member of the Paralegal Section of the Montana State Bar throughout her career. Over the course of her career, she has through example opened doors to others to participate at greater levels of responsibility in the medical negligence and personal injury legal world. She and her husband ranch in the Deer Lodge valley and enjoy the rural way of life.
Sierra Stief
Legal Assistant
Sierra Stief has over 15 years of experience in the legal field, primarily working in the areas of civil litigation, employment law, probate and medical malpractice. Sierra has been with Buxbaum Daue, PLLC as a legal assistant for over 5 years. Her work includes managing calendars, organizing medical records, finalizing pleadings, disclosures, correspondence, and other legal documents. Sierra is a compassionate listener and enjoys establishing long-lasting relationships with our clients. Sierra also received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Montana in 2005 and her Paralegal Certificate in 2011 from Montana State University – Billings.
Sierra has lived in Missoula for over 25 years. She enjoys spending time with her family and friends, gardening, crafting and exploring the Montana hiking trails with her rescue cattle dog, Rebel.
E. Craig Daue
Lawyer
Craig Daue is a graduate of the University of Montana School of Law who has practiced litigation and trial law in Missoula since 1977. Craig’s practice has been focused on personal injury litigation with emphasis on medical malpractice claims. Craig defended doctors, nurses and hospitals for 15 years before leaving his defense practice in 1998. Craig has since concentrated on representing clients who have been injured by substandard medical care, defective drugs and medical devices, and in cases involving hospital and nursing home liability and other severe personal injury and wrongful death. After joining Doug Buxbaum in 2000, Craig has tried dozens of jury cases and litigated and resolved hundreds of claims involving Fen-Phen injuries, numerous medical malpractice cases as well as some of the largest recoveries for wrongful death in Montana. Craig is a longstanding member of the Montana State Bar, the American Association for Justice, the American Bar Association Section of Litigation and the Western Montana Bar Association. Craig was the President of the Montana Trial Lawyers Association from 2009 – 2010, and served on the Board of Directors for 6 years. He is a member of the MTLA Jury Instruction Committee, and chaired the Supreme Court Commission on Paralegal Practice.
Craig is a longstanding member of the American Board of Trial Advocates, and is listed in Super Lawyers and Best Lawyers in America, and has been rated “AV Preeminent” by Montana lawyers and judges, the highest rating for ethical standards and professional ability.
Ann M Johnson
Paralegal
Ann has been a paralegal at the Buxbaum Daue law office for over 20 years. In addition to new client interviews, she works with Craig Daue on complex medical negligence cases and assists in all aspects of preparing the cases for mediation and/or trial. Ann believes the most rewarding part of her job is the privilege of getting to know each client and being able to provide them with support and guidance throughout the litigation process. Ann earned her NALA Paralegal Certification in 1993. She is a member of the Paralegal Section of Montana State Bar.
Ann lives in the Bitterroot Valley with her husband and their two Labrador Retrievers. She enjoys family time, especially with her four grandchildren, and with any time left she likes to quilt and garden.
