Montana Generational Justice

About Us

Assisting Estate Planning

Montana Generational Justice (MGJ) was formed in 2015 as a 501(c)(3) tax exempt public charity. MGJ was created to assist individuals needing estate planning documents or review their current documents to ensure they are updated and meet their individual circumstances. MGJ provides an opportunity for Montanans to access legal assistance using volunteer attorneys and paralegals.

For nearly 10 years, MGJ has provided a variety of estate planning options – Modest Means Program, Sponsorships Estate Planning Clinics, and Estate Planning grants.

Modest Means program believes everyone should have the opportunity to complete their documents. We use Zoom as a means to reach people throughout Montana. People interested in completing their documents can meet at home through Zoom and be able to follow and interact with the legal professional as their documents are created. It creates an educational opportunity to further your understanding of estate planning.

MGJ charges a modest means rate which means we charge by the document and not an hourly rate. In our many years of assisting Montanans with their estate planning documents, many individuals have stated they had been unable to complete their documents because they could not afford to pay an hourly rate. Based on MGJ evaluations, our rates are considered reasonable.

MGJ collaborates with a large group of partners to plan and deliver these services. MGJ’s Advisory Committee representing attorneys, paralegals, Veteran representatives, insurance representatives, representative from Helena College, and
representatives from the medical community have further agreed through their experiences that a reasonable cost is necessary for everyone to participate in our estate planning program.

Zoom clinics create an opportunity for each participant to design what is best for their needs and interests. MGJ ensures each Montanan has available the following documents: Will, TOD Deed (Transfer on Death – also known as a Beneficiary Deed), Declaration of Homestead, and Durable Powers of Attorney for Health Care and Finance.

Montana Generational Justice

Board Members

Montana Generational Justice is governed by a seven-member board.  The Board has a geographically diverse representation and over 100 years of experience in developing and providing direct services to Montana’s senior citizen population.

Karen Erdie

Karen retired in 2014 after serving for 35 years as Executive Director of Area II Agency on Aging serving 11 counties in central Montana. In addition to providing a wide array of Older Americans Act services in Area II, she was instrumental in developing the Area II Guardianship Program and the Representative Payee Program through Social Security.

She was a founding member of Conservator Guardian Corporation of Montana (CGCM) and has served on the Board since its inception in 2008, serving as Chairperson and Secretary. She is a founding member of Montana Generational Justice, and is the current Chairperson.

After retiring, she moved to Billings and serves in the following capacities: as Treasurer on the Board of Directors of the Billings Senior Citizens, Inc. at the Billings Community and Senior Citizens Center; on the Board of Directors of Big Sky Senior Services in Billings, which is a home care agency; on the Advisory Board of St. Vincent Healthcare Foster Grandparent Program; and as Secretary of the Wellington Place Homeowners Association in Billings where she owns a home.

Susan Kunda

Susan has worked with the with Area IX Agency on Aging for over 35 years. Her jobs include Local Ombudsman, State Health Insurance Program counselor, Information and Assistance Technician, Reverse Annuity Mortgage counselor, and Program Manager for in-home services. She worked with Adult Protective Services, Summit Independent Living, Northwest Human Resources, et. al., on advance directive issues, creating a legal documents brochure outlining the need and benefits of developing powers of attorney, and educating her community on different legal resources available. Out of this endeavor, the group started the Western Montana Chapter for the Prevention of Elder Abuse, which started in Kalispell and expanded into Missoula. This program was for elders who were being exploited, could no longer handle their finances or were spending money but not paying their bills.  Susan has also taught classes at Flathead Community College for Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) regarding subtle abuse in nursing homes and rights of residents.  She is a founding member of Montana Generational justice and has served on the Board over 5 years.

Doug Blakley

Doug has worked in aging services and advocacy for over 35 years.  He served as the State Long Term Care Ombudsman for over 13 years, developing the foundation for a statewide program.  For the next 14 years, he coordinated data collection and reporting for Aging Services statewide.  In addition, he wrote grants and coordinated the initial development of the statewide Aging and Disability Services program, the Alzheimer’s disease services grant, the Senior Farmers’ Market program, the statewide Respite program, and the Veterans Self-Direct  program. Upon retirement, he has worked for 8 years with the on-site legal documents clinic program.

Chris Manos

Chris Manos has been an attorney for over 27 years in both private and government practice in Montana. He served as the director of the State Bar of Montana for sixteen years. He has worked with organizations and non-profits to assist in making accessible the delivery of legal services to all Montanans. He has worked at legal document clinics focusing on drafting the basic estate planning needs of Montanans. He continues to provide review and drafting of these documents for Montana Generational Justice and their Modest Means program.

Mark Hurlbut

Mark’s experience stems from thirty-five years in development and management of businesses located in Georgia, Minnesota, Massachusetts, and Maryland ranging from $7mm to $35mm in sales.

He was responsible for starting and managing a pressure-sensitive label company for Taylor Corporation in Mankato, Minnesota, and managed new product development, and sales and marketing for Tensar Corporation, a geotechnical plastics products company located in Atlanta. He has experience with turnarounds, mergers and acquisitions, and consolidation of resources in the direct business-to- business paper products.

After moving back to Montana, Mark ran the Montana Uninsured Employer’s Fund, a self-funded program that provided resources to injured employees working for uninsured employers.

Mark served as Board Chairman for Montana Generational Justice, a 501c3 Corporation, and has been a board member for six years. He currently serves as a board member for Conservator and Guardian Corporation of Montana.

Mark is a poor golfer.

Montana Generational Justice

Partners

Over the last 8 years, Montana Generational Justice has collaborated with a number of different programs around Montana dedicated to improving legal services provided to Montanans.

Montana Healthcare Foundation Grant Advisory Council
  • Casey Blumenthal – retired Vice President Montana Hospital Association
  • Jackie Merritt – Veteran Justice Outreach Specialist
  • Dave Ellis – Nurse Care Manager – St. Peter’s Health
  • Deb Rapport – Professor Helena College
  • Mary Kay Puckett – Senior Consultant – Leavitt Group Insurance
  • Erin MacLean – Attorney/Chair, Health Care Law Section of the State Bar of Montana
  • Kayre Chatellier – Paralegal/Mediator
  • Steve Garrison – Attorney/Veteran
  • Ann Ueland – Director of Belmont Senior Center
Work Group Developing Advance Directive (2019 – March 2020)
  • Dr. Kathryn Borgenicht – Physician Hospice and Palliative Medicine – Bozeman Health
  • Kristin Juras – Attorney – BETTR Law Section (Business, Estates, Trusts, Tax & Real Property)
  • Marcia Goetting – Extension Family Economics Specialist MSU
  • Chris Manos – Retired Director State Bar Montana reviewing documents.
  • John Mudd – Director State Bar of Montana
  • John McCrea – Program Director MGJ
  • Erin MacLean – Healthcare Attorney
  • Peter Simon – Health Law Section
MGJ Statewide Professionals Supporting MGJ Clinic Advance Directive Model
  • Dr. Gilbert – Physician, St Peter’s Hospital, Helena
  • Jessie Laslovich – Vice President of network for SCL development representing St. Vincent Healthcare (Billings), St. James Health (Butte), and Holy Rosary Hospital (Miles City). 
  • Lannette Perkins – Native American Welcoming Center – Great Falls
  • Mary Kay Puckett – Senior Consultant – Leavitt Group Insurance
  • Jacque Smith – Public Relations with St. Peter’s Health;
  • Jane Eliel, Director  – Office of Consumer Protection; and
  • Eric Parsons, Investigator and Program Specialist End-of-Life Registry
Clinic Volunteers Assisting with Advance Directive Clinics
  • 6 pro bono attorneys – assist in completing documents; reviewing legal documents; and providing advice and assisting with Indian Wills
  • 3 paralegals completing advance directive documents.
  • 1 legal assistant
  • 2 notaries
  • 4 witnesses
  • 1 transitional staff to explain what participants need to do once documents are completed

Montana Generational Justice

Affiliated Partners

Over the last 8 years, Montana Generational Justice has collaborated and coordinated joint efforts with the Conservator and Guardian Corporation of Montana to achieve a common goal to improve the quality of life through a common set of objectives (providing high quality, consumer-centered legal and financial fiduciary services) to accomplish results beyond the resources of a single, stand-alone organization. As needs are identified, this consortium works together to formulate the most efficient ways for members to collaborate to meet emerging needs. One of the overarching goals of these affiliated partners is to prevent financial exploitation of its clients.

More About CGCM

Conservator and Guardian Corporation of Montana (CGCM) was established in 2008 to provide quality, flexible, client-centered guardianship and fiduciary services to clients and their families who are vulnerable, in need of support and assistance and unable to provide for their own needs.

CGCM works with other program partners to make available to its clients a wide array of wrap-around services to ensure all the client’s needs are met in a timely and efficient manner.

The array of comprehensive fiduciary and guardianship services that CGCM provides includes:

  • Durable Power of Attorney (DPOA)
  • Court established Guardianships
  • Court appointed Conservatorships
  • Financial & Planning Services for people living in the community, assisted living facilities, and retirement communities
  • Trusts, Revocable Living Trusts and Special Needs Trusts

For more information on CGCM contact: (406) 422-3904

Contact us

Let us know how we can help you and your loved ones.

Address: 130 Neill Avenue – the Top Floor
Helena  MT  59601

Mailing: PO Box 1483, Helena  MT  59624

Email: jmccrea@mtgenjustice.org

Phone: (406) 422-3904