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Meet AVA Law Group's

Legal Team

Thank you for visiting AVA Law Group and learning more about our legal team, for a free confidential consultation, please click the link below or call us anytime at 800-777-4141. Here at AVA Law Group we represent the People against the Powerful, and if we can help you, we look forward to talking to you soon.

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ANDREW VAN ARSDALE

Founding Attorney

Originally from Billings, Montana, Andrew Van Arsdale moved to San Diego, California to pursue a career in law to ensure people could access legal representation after being wronged by powerful corporations. Andrew earned his law degree from the University of San Diego in 2018 and is licensed to practice law in California, District of Columbia, Montana, and Nevada. For years Andrew has helped people struggling from negligence-related injuries seek maximal compensation from responsible parties, ensuring client satisfaction at all times.

Van Arsdale’s work pursuing justice for Scouting sexual abuse survivors through Abused in Scouting has been widely recognized by the media and featured on platforms including CNN, ABC News, NBC News, etc. He has extensive experience connecting sexual abuse survivors to the representation they deserve and handling abuse cases from a wide range of organizations including the Catholic Church, the Mormon Church, and the Boy Scouts of America.

Through Andrew Van Arsdale's leadership, AVA Law Group is on a mission to help Marine veterans and their families who were exposed to Toxic Water at Camp Lejeune. AVA Law Group's work has been recognized by Time Magazine, CNN, and Fox News. AVA Law Group is actively engaged in negotiations with Navy Jag in order to resolve individual client cases through the administrative claim form process.

Attorney Andrew Van Arsdale created AVA Law Group, Inc. so you could have easy access to the justice system and efficient legal representation.

Bar Admissions

State Bar of California, 2018

State Bar of Montana, 2019

State Bar Nevada, 2019

DC Bar, 2021

Professional Association Memberships

American Association for Justice

Los Angeles County Bar Association

Nevada Justice Association

San Diego County Bar Association

TEAGUE WESTROPE

Attorney

A Billings native, Teague received his law degree from the University of Montana School of Law in 2005. For nearly 15 years, he practiced criminal law as a public defender, prosecutor, and assistant municipal court judge. During this time, he honed his courtroom skills and authored several bills which strengthened Montana’s laws against domestic and sexual violence.

Teague transitioned his practice to civil law in 2020. His passion for helping others is now focused on fighting for justice on behalf of those who have suffered personal injury and wrongful death due to the negligence of others.

Attorney Teague Westrope brings to AVA Law Group his experience trying dozens of cases to Montana juries.

Bar Admissions

State of Montana, 2005

United States District Court of Montana, 2005

Professional Association Memberships

Montana Trial Lawyers Association

American Association for Justice

Kasodie West

Attorney

Raised in Billings, Kasodie graduated from Skyview High school in 2011. She then spent 7 years in Missoula where she received both her undergraduate and law school degree from the University of Montana. Through and following Law School, Kasodie practiced family, dependent neglect and criminal law. During this time, she learned the importance of client communication and true advocacy for her clients.

Kasodie made the choice to transition her practice to mass torts and personal injury because she wanted to continue to be an elite advocate for her clients while being able to continue to learn and shape the laws that come.

“Justice will not be served until those who are unaffected are as outraged as those who are.”
— Benjamin Franklin

Bar Admissions

State of Montana, 2019

Certificates

Montana Mediation Association (MTMA)- Certified Mediator

Professional Association Memberships

Montana Trial Lawyers Association

American Association for Justice

ALI PEKOVICH

Office Manager

Ali grew up in Billings Mt and graduated from Billings Central. She has her degree in Visual Communications from FIDM in Los Angeles CA. She is married, has 3 children, and is involved in many activities in and around the Billings area.

Ali also has extensive experience in organization and customer relations including Saks 5th Avenue, MSU Billings, and others. She is longtime family friends with AVA Law Group's managing partner ,Andrew Van Arsdale, and participates in other ventures that Andrew is involved with. She strongly believes in AVA's mission to represent the people against the powerful and loves being a part of a team that helps people seek justice when harmed due to the fault of another.

One of Ali's life mantras is, “Don’t miss out on something that could be great just because it could also be difficult.” and she brings this to everyday of her work at AVA Law Group.

BRIANA "BRI" SCOTT

Paralegal

Bri is originally from Greybull, Wyoming. She moved to Billings, Montana a few years ago to start a life with her husband and find a career she could be proud of. A few months after moving to Billings, Montana she was recruited to join AVA Law Group’s call center. This is the moment Bri’s career took off and she knew she found a company she could be proud to be a part of. In the beginning, Bri focused on qualifying clients for legal representation. This is when Bri realized she wanted to expand her knowledge and help these clients even further by becoming a Paralegal and working more directly with AVA Law Group. With the help of AVA Law, Bri was able to gain her certificate in Paralegal Studies.

Bri officially obtained her certificate in Paralegal Studies in October2020, and is devoted to maintaining the integrity of the clients AVA Law Group represents, as well as assisting attorney Andrew Van Arsdale, and other co-counsels with anything needed to represent our clients and bring them the justice they deserve and hold these powerful entities accountable for their negligence.

Paralegal Bri Scott ensures to provide top-notch attentiveness and integrity for AVA Law Group’s Clients and devotion to AVA Law group and our co-counsels.

Sidney Sipe

Paralegal

Sidney began her career as a legal assistant with a Family and Criminal Law Firm in Billings. She obtained her Paralegal certificate in 2019 immediately after graduating from Rocky Mountain College with a degree in psychology. Sidney has over six years of experience assisting with criminal, dependent neglect, and family law in Yellowstone County.

Paralegal Sidney Sipe is eager to expand her legal knowledge with AVA Law Group, as well as her presence in the legal community in Montana.

Cherokee Debuff

Paralegal

Cherokee’s roots grow deep in Montana soil, she was born and raised in Billings, Montana. She attended high school at Billings Senior and then proceeded to attend Montana State University in Bozeman where she completed her bachelor's degree in Community Health. She found herself wanting to pursue a career that was both challenging and meaningful, which is how she found AVA. Cherokee wants to continue to work for AVA Law Group as she pursues further education in legal studies.

My life mantra “The world is changed by your example, not your opinion.”

SAMANTHA ARZY

Litigation Assistant

Raised in Billings, Montana, Sam began her professional career as a legal assistant at boutique law firms around town. While working full time, she has pursued baccalaureate studies majoring in Criminal Justice and received her degree as part of the graduating class of May 2022.

Sam’s passion for law and advocacy has been a driving force in her academic and professional endeavors. She started working for AVA Law Group as a call center representative in the fall of 2021 and now works as a legal assistant advocating for individuals victimized by powerful entities.

With her undergrad complete, Sam plans to continue to work for AVA Law Group while pursuing further education in legal studies.

One of Sam's heroes is Supreme Court Justice, Ruth Bader-Ginsburg, and she especially admires this quote of hers from 2018: “Real change, enduring change, happens one step at a time.” Sam strives to apply this everyday in her work at AVA Law Group.

Taylor McBurney

Legal Assistant

Taylor grew up in Laurel, Montana, and graduated from Laurel High School, later attending Montana State University Bozeman to pursue a degree in Engineering. After realizing that engineering was not her calling, she later enrolled in Montana State University Billings under the Political Science and Pre-Law Program. It only took a few years as an adult for her to realize that there are far too many people in this world who have the power and influence to take advantage of others, and who do so with little regard for the people they are hurting. A desire to be a legal resource and representative of her community and to help others who don't have the knowledge or wealth to help themselves was the driving force that led her to re-enroll in school. She will graduate with a Bachelor's degree in Political Science in December of 2022, and will attend the University of Montana in the fall of 2023 to begin her Law Degree.

Married last August to her boyfriend of ten years, who also graduated from Laurel High School and wishes to stay in Billings, she hopes to move forward to this next stage of her life and grow her law practice as part of the AVA team when she obtains her law degree.

Taylor chose to work at AVA because their passion for helping people aligned perfectly with her own goals, and she works as a Legal Assistant to help as many people as she can as a part of the legal team.

AURORA ELLINGTON

Legal Assistant

Aurora is a Montanan through and through. She was born in Great Falls and her family moved to Billings after her parents retired from the Air Force. She graduated from Skyview High School in Billings and is currently pursuing a bachelor's degree in accounting from Montana State University Billings while proving to be an essential part of the AVA Law Group Team.

Aurora also has a passion for children and has worked with foster care programs, as a CNA and with mentally disabled teenagers. She simply loves helping people, which is why she chose to work with AVA Law Group. Aurora puts her all into her position every day making sure that AVA lives up to its motto of representing the people against the powerful. If we can help you, she looks forward to seeing you soon in our Billings office.

One of Aurora's life mantras is to treat people the way you want to be treated and she excels at this as the first face you see when you walk into the AVA Law Group Office. Whether it's your first time in, or your one hundredth, you'll always have a warm welcome with Aurora at the front desk to greet you.

Lindsey Collett

Legal Assistant

Lindsey was born and raised in Billings, Montana, and is lucky to call Montana home. She attended Billings Senior for high school, and quickly found her passion for helping the community upon graduating.

Lindsey found that the work at AVA is both impactful and meaningful to all, and enjoys getting to know every client who she comes in contact with.

Yessica CArrasco

Receptionist

Yessica was raised in Powell, Wyoming where she attended Northwest College. Yessica moved to Billings, Montana a year ago in hopes to find a company that she could be proud of. She started working at AVA Law Group's sister company Reciprocity then moved into AVA's main office in hopes to keep helping people in anyway she can.

Yessica's go to quote is "If there is no struggle, there is no process."

DONNELL ALLEN

Paralegal

Donnell maintains the integrity of clients' cases by completing background checks on potential clients, maintaining case quality assurance, and drafting legal documents necessary for case qualification and correspondence. Donnell heads communication between AVA Law Group and co-counsel firms to make certain clients are informed and updated on cases.

Donnell has substantial experience working as a linguist for the U.S Government in federal court as an interpreter and translator. She transitioned into the role of a criminal defense trial paralegal and mitigation specialist in both federal and state courts, lending her knowledge and experience to AVA Law's services.

Paralegal Donnell Allen ensures the operational quality of AVA Law so co-counsel and clients receive top-notch care.

Alissa Fuhriman

Web Developer

Born and raised in Montana, Alissa graduated from Bridger High School and later moved to Sheridan, WY where she worked as an orthodontic assistant. Alissa and her husband spontaneously moved to Alabama where she decided to pursue a degree in computer science at Troy University. After graduating from Troy, Alissa moved back to Montana where she started working for AVA Law Group in 2018.

Alissa soon discovered a love for web development and design. AVA Law Group has given Alissa the chance to put her passion to work, all while fulfilling her other passion of helping others.

Alissa is happy to be able to do what she does to help as a part of the AVA Law team; helping people find the assistance they need.

John Marshal

Legal Assistant

John grew up in Surrey, England, and has spent most of his adult life in Texas and Northern Minnesota. A recent arrival in Billings, he has a degree in Economics from Texas A&M University and possesses over a decade of experience in Account Management and Digital Marketing. After recently moving to Billings, he discovered a passion for helping people obtain the representation they deserve.

John aspires to approach each day with a servant’s heart, to do anything, for anybody, anytime.

Starting off in the AVA Law Group Call Center in 2021 and transitioning to a Legal Assistant in 2022, John is eager to give each client the highest level of attention and service.

We make walking through the legal process easy

Problem Solving is our promise

We provide a team of attorney, paralegals, and case managers to clients at no upfront cost.

AVA Law Group eliminates the confusion of filing a claim by working on your claim and, if necessary, connecting you with one our many partner firms that fits your needs and will get you the best results.

We’re available 24/7 to provide you with the information you need about case qualification.

REPRESENTING THE PEOPLE AGAINST THE POWERFUL