Community Involvement at Hoyt & Blewett PLLC

We built our law firm in Montana, and we have never forgotten that our work starts and ends with this community. We grew up here, raised our families here, and built our careers in the same courts, schools, and neighborhoods that our clients call home. When we achieve a strong result in a case, we see it as another chance to give back to the people and places that shaped us.

Our commitment to Montana runs deeper than courtroom advocacy. Over generations, we have put a significant share of our success into local schools, youth programs, trails, and charities. We focus on projects that open doors for students, support families, and strengthen the communities we serve every day.

Rooted in Montana Communities

Our connection to Montana is personal. Members of our firm grew up in towns across the state and chose to build their lives and careers here. That history gives us a direct understanding of the schools our clients attend, the fields where their children practice, and the local causes that matter most.

We do not view community involvement as a separate line of work. It is part of how we practice law. When we walk into a gym named for a donor we know, or visit a law school courtroom that carries our name, we see the long arc of that commitment. Those places represent years of trust between our firm and the people we serve.

Investing in Legal Education and Access to Justice

Much of our giving focuses on legal education and consumer protection. We want future lawyers in Montana to have the tools to stand up for injured people and families.

Attorneys from our firm helped design and fund a modern teaching courtroom at the University of Montana School of Law, now known as the Hoyt & Blewett Courtroom. This space allows law students to practice real advocacy skills in a setting that mirrors the courtrooms they will appear in after graduation.

Our support for the law school also includes substantial scholarship funding. The Blewett family contributed $800,000 to create scholarships for law students, which at the time was the largest outright gift in the school’s history. In addition, a $10 million donation from Zander Blewett led to the renaming of the Alexander Blewett III School of Law at the University of Montana. These contributions help reduce financial barriers for students who want to serve Montana communities through the law.

Beyond financial assistance, our gifts support a consumer protection program at the law school. That program helps prepare students to handle the kinds of real-world disputes that affect everyday Montanans, including those facing unfair treatment and serious losses.

Scholarships That Open Doors for Montana Students

We also invest heavily in educational opportunities for younger students across the state. Our firm has funded long-term scholarship programs that help high school graduates pursue college and other postsecondary goals.

At Great Falls High School, we helped establish the Blewett Family Scholarship. This program can pay up to $6,000 per year to assist graduates with the cost of higher education. It creates a path forward for students who have the drive to continue their studies but need financial help to make it possible.

Wrestling holds a special place in our firm’s history. Each year, we award the Blewett Wrestling Scholarship to the top high school wrestler and student in classes AA, A, and B/C in Montana. We also provide ongoing scholarship support for wrestler-students at Cascade, Simms, Fort Benton, Conrad, Choteau, Fairfield, Havre, and Cut Bank High Schools. These scholarships reward hard work on the mat and in the classroom, and they help student-athletes carry those habits into college and beyond.

Supporting Athletics and Student Activities

Athletics teach discipline, teamwork, and resilience—qualities that matter in life and in the courtroom. We support programs that give young people a strong foundation through sports.

Our contributions include substantial donations to Montana State University for the construction of new athletic facilities. We also provide annual support for Montana State University in Bozeman, helping student-athletes and the broader campus community.

Closer to home, John Hoyt contributed a significant gift to create the John C. Hoyt Athletic Complex at the University of Montana. Zander Blewett helped fund the design and construction of the Bison Wrestling Room addition at Great Falls High School, giving wrestlers a dedicated space to train. These facilities offer safe, well-equipped environments where students can grow as competitors and as people.

Building Trails, Facilities, and Community Spaces

Our involvement extends beyond schools and universities to public spaces that benefit entire communities. We believe in projects that bring people together and improve daily life for families across Montana.

We donated funds for the River’s Edge Trail to purchase nearly two miles of trail easement along the Missouri River. This stretch of trail gives walkers, runners, cyclists, and families safe access to one of the most scenic parts of the state. It is a place where our clients, neighbors, and colleagues can enjoy the outdoors and connect with one another.

We also support facilities that serve children and teens, including contributions to the Boys and Girls Club and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Great Falls. These organizations provide mentoring, safe spaces, and positive activities during critical years of growth. By supporting them, we help strengthen the fabric of the communities our clients live in.

Ongoing Charitable Giving and Local Support

Our community work is not limited to one-time projects. We provide ongoing support to programs that deliver steady benefits year after year. For example, we are annual supporters of the United Way of Cascade County, which helps fund a broad range of local services and initiatives for families in need.

We continue to support Montana State University in Bozeman on an annual basis as well. This regular giving helps the university plan for the future and maintain programs that serve students from across the state.

Over the years, our firm has donated to many other local causes, including Great Falls High School and other community institutions. In each case, we look for opportunities where our contribution can move a project forward or expand access to education, sports, or youth programming.

Connecting Case Results to Community Impact

Clients often ask what happens after a major verdict or settlement. They understand that significant recoveries can result in significant legal fees. Many are pleased to learn that a meaningful share of our resources goes back into Montana through scholarships, facilities, and community programs.

We do not view charitable giving as separate from our work on behalf of injured people. When we help a family recover compensation under Montana law, we also gain the ability to support projects that benefit other families in the future. That cycle—fighting hard in the courtroom and then reinvesting in our communities—has become part of our identity as a firm.

Our clients notice this pattern. Some tell us they chose our firm in part because they saw our name on a law school building, a high school scholarship, or a local facility. For them, those signs of long-term commitment signal that we will stand by them as well.

Why Our Community Work Matters Today

Community involvement keeps us grounded. It reminds us that every case file represents a real person whose life unfolds in the same towns, schools, and neighborhoods that we support through our giving. When we sit down with a client, we understand the stakes because we share the same home.

Our history of philanthropy also shapes how we run our practice today. We choose our cases carefully, stay focused on quality over volume, and devote the time and resources each client deserves. That focus mirrors the way we approach charitable work: we look for places where we can do real good and then commit to them for the long term.

If you have questions about our community involvement or want to learn more about our firm, you can reach us at (406) 233-1302. We are proud of the work we have done in Montana’s courtrooms and just as proud of the classrooms, trails, and facilities that bear our name. Together, they tell the story of who we are and the state we serve.