Wm Nels Swandal graduated from the University of Montana School of Law in 1978; he earned his undergraduate degree, with honors, from Montana State University in 1975. Following graduation from law school, Mr. Swandal was accepted into the U.S. Army Judge Advocate Generals Corp and served as a trial attorney, defense attorney and chief as the legal assistance office during his three years of active duty. He then spent seven years with the US Army Reserves and twenty years with the Montana Army National Guard, retiring as a Colonel and as the State Staff Judge Advocate for the State of Montana. From October 1981-1982, Mr. Swandal engaged in a general legal practice with his mother’s law firm. He was then elected Park County Attorney and served in that capacity from 1983-1994. He then served as the District Judge for the Sixth Judicial District from 1995-2012. He has recently re-entered private practice with his daughter.

While Mr. Swandal has a broad range of legal experience, he is hoping to focus his practice primarily on mediation and alternative dispute resolution. He has been on numerous boards in his community and is past president of both the Montana County Attorney’s Association and Montana Judge’s Association.

Mr. Swandal is a third generation Montanan and lives on the family cattle ranch north of Wilsall, with his wife, Debra.