Native son starts law firm fresh out of school

By ALEX STRICKLAND / Bigfork Eagle

Paul Sullivan didn't spend his free period during his senior year at Bigfork High School messing around or cutting class — how could he with both parents working at BHS? — but hanging around the law office of Peter Leander.

Eight years, college, law school and a pile of internships later, Sullivan has opened up his very own law office right next door to his mentor in Bigfork.

"I always knew I wanted to run my own firm eventually," said Sullivan, who graduated from law school at the University of Pennsylvania in the spring. "I just didn't think it would be this soon."

But when Leander pitched the idea of Sullivan running his own office next door during an internship last year, it was too good of an opportunity for a recent grad to pass up.

"It's great to have someone friendly next door," Sullivan said.

Since he's starting a practice, Bigfork's newest lawyer said he's casting a wide net, working on all types of cases from criminal to family to personal injury and contract drafting.

Though he said he enjoyed his time job-shadowing in a law office during high school, Sullivan went to Missoula to study philosophy after graduating from BHS in 2000. After receiving his Bachelors in Philosophy in 2004, he was accepted into the prestigious Ivy League law school at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.

"I was really excited to get in there," he said. "But I'm really excited to be back."

A familiar face in town, Sullivan's father — also Paul — retired last year after a long career in education and as a guidance counselor at BHS. His mother, Mary, still teaches English at the school.

Sullivan's office is located in Suite 106 in the Osborne Landing Building downtown. His Web site is http://www.paulsullivanlaw.com.