Associate Attorney Sarah W. McClain

Professional Background

In 2004, Sarah earned her Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) from the University of Oregon, graduating with a double major in Fine and Applied Arts and Spanish. She then moved from Eugene to Salem to study at the Willamette University College of Law. In 2007, she obtained her Juris Doctor, graduating with honors in Legal Research and Writing.

Sarah’s interest in law stems from a deep passion and dedication to social justice. Throughout the course of her legal career, she has worked extensively to advocate for marginalized community members in Montana including children and survivors of abuse. The vast majority of her work for the Montana Judicial Branch focused on statewide access to justice issues. Previously, she also served as the Program Director/Coordinator at a nonprofit immigration legal services program, an Associate Attorney for a well-known immigration law firm, and was also the Director for the State Law Library of Montana.

Sarah’s contributions to family law and immigration law reflect her dedication to helping individuals and families navigate critical and difficult situations. She is praised for her strong communication skills, including her ability to explain complex legal processes in relatable terms, and is also skilled in coordinating and preparing reports, drafting legal correspondence and documents, and conducting complex legal research and analysis. Sarah also possesses strong managerial skills and has held numerous supervisory positions throughout her career. She is proficient in both Spanish and English, making her uniquely positioned to support individuals belonging to minority populations and rural communities.

Family Law & Immigration Law

Family Law: As a Helena family law attorney, Sarah’s work is intensely focused on domestic concerns regarding divorce and separation, spousal support, property division, child custody and support, and other family-related matters. In particular, she holds extensive experience in supporting clients involved in complex and emotionally challenging matters such as domestic and sexual violence. She also provides legal guidance for adoptions, paternity suits, post-divorce partition, and prenuptial/postnuptial agreements. As a family lawyer, the well-being of her clients is always at the forefront of her concern. She works diligently to safeguard her client’s emotional and financial state while working to achieve a satisfactory resolution to their case.

Sarah is honored to be part of the Laird Cowley team and to have the opportunity to practice and grow with attorneys who are established experts and highly respected in their relevant fields.

Immigration Law: Sarah is regarded as one of Helena’s top immigration attorneys. She holds an extensive background in representing clients involved in a variety of immigration matters, with a primary focus on low-income and rural community. At Laird Cowley, she oversees cases involving immigration, visas, green cards, adjustment of status, political asylum, and other immigration issues. Her experience includes representing clients before U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Department of Justice, and the Executive Office for Immigration Review (Immigration Court). She has also represented clients in appellate matters before the USCIS Administrative Appeals Office (AAO) and the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA).

Hobbies & Interests

Sarah is a proud Montana native. She spent much of her childhood exploring the Rattlesnake Wilderness Area near Missoula and the expansive trail systems of Helena. This enthusiasm for Montana’s beautiful outdoors is something she has carried with her throughout her life and continues to bring her joy today. She is deeply appreciative of the culture and history of her community; as an immigration attorney, she is proud to welcome newcomers to the beauty and opportunities of Montana. Sarah has represented clients from every continent except Antarctica and has worked with Spanish-speaking clients throughout her fifteen years as an attorney.

Sarah’s favorite activities include running, hiking, gardening, and drawing. Additionally, she is also a certified group fitness instructor and yoga instructor. When she is not in the office, she enjoys spending time with her daughter and their dogs.