We’re a law firm with offices in Invermere and Golden, British Columbia (in Golden we answer to Fairley & Blakley — it makes us sound fancier than we are). We help clients across BC, and we even help out-of-province folks who’ve made the mistake of getting mixed up with BC law.
When you call us, you won’t get a robot or a phone menu that goes on forever — you’ll get a real human being (sometimes even a lawyer, though we don’t recommend it before coffee). We try not to live up to the worst lawyer stereotypes: we pay living wages, keep a healthy workplace, and give back to charities and non-profits around Invermere and across BC. Sure, we argue for a living, but at least we argue for good causes too.
Hours of Operation
Our Invermere office is open Monday to Thursday from 10:00 until 17:00.
Our Golden Office is open Tuesday to Friday from 08:30 until 16:30.
Both offices are closed between 12:00 and 13:00 and on all statutory holidays.
The Lawyers
Morgan Blakley
Morgan Blakley is a mountaineer and a lawyer. Morgan’s practice focuses on litigation, though he assists clients will all manner of legal work. He spends his free time gallivanting up mountains and down rivers. Morgan has been practicing law since 2012. Before making the mistake of going to law school, Morgan worked sundry fields including in construction, forestry, oil and gas, and first aid.
David Geselbracht
David’s practice focuses on corporate law and litigation, which means he spends his days helping businesses get started, grow, and (when necessary) survive legal skirmishes. He has a knack for drafting airtight agreements and spotting issues before they turn into battles. Outside the office, David can be found hiking in summer and cross-country skiing in winter — because cross-country skiing is the only sport where falling over is part of the fun.
Derrick Murphy
Derrick Murphy is the senior lawyer in our Golden office. When it comes to law, Derrick is happy to help with most legal problems and opportunities including real estate, wills, family law, civil litigation, and uncivil litigation. When he’s not prospecting for statutes in the law mines, Derrick can be found hiking in our national parks (at least, we hope we can find him again).
Malcolm Soles
Malcolm helps clients with their non-litigation needs. He helps clients plan for the future, sort out inheritances, and navigate the sometimes-mystifying world of land ownership. Around the office, Malcolm makes complex legal issues sound simple (or at least less terrifying). Outside of work, Malcolm enjoys the outdoors, delicious food, and weight training – the weight training is so he can carry Morgan’s litigation binders into the courthouse.
Katelynn Tomalty
Katelynn grew up in Ontario and now calls Invermere home. Katelynn practices primarily property law, including residential and commercial real estate and real estate development. Katelynn is the reigning world disc golf champion (almost). Whenever the weather is cooperating, you can expect her to be tossing discs at metal poles out in the middle of nowhere. Katelynn also plays soccer and beats up little kids at the local judo hall.
The people who make the lawyers look good!
Janette Cruz
Janette is our corporate assistant and the glue that keeps the paperwork (and the lawyers) in order. Originally from Mexico, she somehow married a man from Newfoundland — and nobody has quite figured out how they communicate, but it seems to work. When she’s not keeping the office organized, Janette can be found laughing at the cultural mash-ups in her own household.
Mariia Mokanyk
Mariia is Derrick’s assistant and keeps the Golden office running smoothly (and Derrick on schedule — no small feat!). Originally from Ukraine, she brings warmth, precision, and a touch of Ukrainian stubbornness to everything she does. Outside of work, Mariia enjoys exploring the Columbia Valley and proving that no Canadian winter can out-freeze someone who grew up in Ukraine.
Madeline Smart
Madeline is our sharpshooting receptionist in Invermere, always ready with a quick smile and quicker aim at getting clients where they need to go. She keeps the front desk running smoother than a well-oiled six-shooter. Outside the office, Madeline enjoys life in the Columbia Valley, where she splits her time between family, community events, and reminding the lawyers that she comes to work to get away from children.
Phyllis Titus
Phyllis is the old person in the Golden office that answers the phone and keeps the office running. In her past life, she did many things like wharfinger, camp cook, and procrastinating. Now in her dotage, her days are filled with keeping the young people in the office in check and reminiscing about the good old days, when it was up hill both ways to school in 10 feet of snow.
Brooke Topic
Brooke Topic is a conveyancer at Columbia Legal. Brooke really likes plants, sometimes she remembers to water them, and well… sometimes she buys new ones. Brooke also has a rescued cat named Garbage, or is it Bandit? In either case, she isn’t dating Angela.
James Weir
James Weir helps Morgan with litigation – If you ever need to smile, just ask James about lawyers – he loves them! When James isn’t slogging through documents, he’s usually hiking, reading, or fixing his truck. Not that there is anything wrong with his truck…
Trudi Wells
Trudi is our estates and legacy planning assistant, skilled at organizing documents and gently reminding the lawyers they probably won’t inherit anything but more files. She loves dogs far more than is reasonable and somehow drives the nicest vehicle in the firm – apparently the dogs demanded leather seats.
Samantha Wolstenholme
Say that two times fast! Sam is our bookkeeper and the magician who keeps the lights on and the bills paid. Without Sam, the lawyers might still be arguing over who last bought coffee filters. When the numbers are balanced, Sam enjoys a good laugh and making sure the office doesn’t take itself too seriously.