Sara S. Berg

Professional Background

In 1997, Sara graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Social Studies Secondary Education and moved west to Montana to begin law school at the University of Montana and in 2000 she earned a Juris Doctorate from the University of Montana School of Law in Missoula Montana. Sara was fortunate to work at the Missoula County Attorney’s office as a law student before being hired by Browning, Kaleczyc, Berry & Hoven, P.C., during her third year of law school. She formally joined the BKBH firm in 2000 and was Shareholder until 2023. She has since joined Laird Cowley as a Partner in the firm’s Helena office.

Sara Berg is a seasoned family law, medical malpractice, and civil defense litigator. From 2000 – 2023 in her role as Shareholder at Browning, Kaleczyc, Berry & Hoven, P.C., she was focused on representing clients on defending healthcare providers in medical malpractice suits as well as family law matters including divorce and child custody. She also assisted in family dispute mediation.

Family Law, Divorce and Child Custody: As a Helena family law and divorce lawyer, Sara knows well that divorce, custody, support, and related matters can be emotionally and financially taxing. Sara seeks to resolve family law conflicts in a cost-effective and time-efficient manner, focusing on seeking to secure the objectives of clients through negotiation, rather than through trial, whenever possible She represents clients in seeking solutions to complex domestic issues, including divorce and separation, spousal support, property division, child custody and support, family law order modifications, adoptions, paternity suits, post-divorce partition, and prenuptial/postnuptial agreements.

Family Mediation: Alternative dispute resolution, such as mediation, allows parties to have more privacy and avoid expensive, contentious litigation. Sara is a family mediator with extensive training in a variety of areas, including co-parenting, community property, alimony, child support, custody, and other family law matters. She provides guidance through the mediation process to help individuals find amicable resolutions and avoid further adversarial proceedings.

Medical Malpractice: Since 2000, Sara has vigorously defended doctors, hospitals, medical facilities, and other healthcare providers in medical malpractice lawsuits in both state and federal courts. Her medical expertise spans a number of fields, from anesthesiology to cardiology and emergency care, enabling her to effectively and successfully litigate complex and highly technical cases. Sara is routinely retained by insurance companies is seeking to defend their clients, and is on the “approved panel” for a number of insurance companies.



Personal Interests & Hobbies

Sara Stanton Berg was born and raised in Big Rapids, Michigan. She attended Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, where she ran Women’s Division I Cross Country and Track. Sara is a proud member of the Helena community. Sara is a current Board Member and past President of the Helena Area Community Foundation, a local non-profit organization founded by her late senior partner, Steve Browning. Sara also served as a parent council member at her children’s school and has served as Senior Warden of the Chapter at St. Peter’s Cathedral. She works with Montana Legal Services to provide pro bono services to family law clients.

Sara is the mother of three active kids. When she is not watching football, basketball, volleyball, music, and theater performances, she enjoys reading, running, and playing the piano.

Professional Memberships

• State Bar of Montana, Member
• American Bar Association, Member
• Montana Defense Trial Lawyers Association, Member
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Helena, Former Board Member, and Board President
• Lewis and Clark Humane Society, Former Board Member
• Hawthorne Elementary School Parent Council, Former Member
• St. Peter’s Episcopal Cathedral, Chapter Member and past Senior Warden
• Helena Area Community Foundation, Board Member & past President
• International Academy of Collaborative Professionals, Member
• Trial Law Institute, Member
• Diversity Law Institute, Member

National & Local Recognition

Sara has received numerous awards and recognition for her legal abilities and service to the community, including being named as the 2020 Helena YWCA Woman of the Year, being elected by the American Society of Legal Advocates as one of the top forty litigators in Montana under the age of 40, and named by Mountain States Super Lawyers in the field of civil defense litigation each year since 2015 and selected to the 2024 Mountain States Super Lawyers list. She has also been named one of Super Lawyers “Top 50 Women” for the Mountain States, voted one of “Helena’s Best” Attorneys in 2019, named a “Top 10 Attorney” for the State of Montana by the National Academy of Family Law Attorneys in 2015, and has been named Fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America. Sara has been rated by her peers as an “AV Preeminent” attorney according to Martindale Hubbell.