Abigail Coburn

After meeting with a number of attorneys around Missoula, Abigail was clearly my top choice to represent me when, to my complete surprise, a stranger and the police accused me of a horrifying crime. Alcohol was admittedly a clear factor in the alleged offense, there was a second person matching my de...scription at the crime scene that went entirely unmentioned in the initial police report, and I did not have any knowledge or memory of the crime taking place. Even when I was clearly scared and was still in the early stages of gathering my own evidence in my defense, Abigail listened to my story and was willing to consider other alternative explanations when other attorneys were swiftly willing to assume the worst of me. Among a number of qualified attorneys, Abigail’s empathy and non-judgmental disposition made her my clear preference to help me fight a case with many long-term ramifications where I knew my character would be harshly judged. As my case unfolded, Abigail’s expertise of the convoluted intricacies of the law quickly became very apparent. She was always punctual and communicative when my case had upcoming deadlines, and took the time to have extended conversations with me when new evidence and options became available. She struck a great balance between being realistic about the prosecution’s case against me, while also being receptive to my own priorities and the evidence in my favor. In a case involving many difficult emotions and witnesses willing to talk in a town where everyone seemingly knows everyone, Abigail was always willing to give her professional recommendation for how to proceed, but also was willing to provide me with the necessary autonomy to make my own decisions. She showed no hesitation when I voiced my willingness to take my case to trial, even when we both knew it would be a very difficult day with potentially significant consequences. From a networking perspective, Abigail had readily available professional connections with local experts whose work became necessary in my case. Through their services, plus difficult conversations and interviews with witnesses and the city, she was able to negotiate a deferred imposition of sentence for my case – a rare and favorable outcome relative to this stranger’s accusation, and one that would allow me to live a largely normal life, and eventually have a clean criminal record once again. Thanks to Abigail’s due diligence and patience, I was able to accept a very reasonable plea, rather than facing a permanent conviction on my record, likely jail time, and other harsh repercussions for a crime I am now extremely confident I did not commit. Additionally, she also negotiated a pathway for me to plead no contest to the charge, which also allows me to maintain my innocence from a legal standpoint. She truly went above and beyond for me, writing me an extremely thorough letter of recommendation to help me maintain employment while I wait out my deferred sentence. While she clearly carries herself to the highest level of professionalism and empathizes with the severity of her clients’ situations, after over a year of knowing Abigail, I would describe her style to be more akin to a mentor, colleague, or friend helping you through a difficult time, rather than a cold and transactional attorney where you are assumed to be guilty and treated as “just another case.” She sees the imperfections in the legal system and understands how innocent people can unfortunately fall through the cracks. Her caring nature, patience, and open-mindedness alone separate her from many other attorneys, especially when narratives seem cut-and-dry and initial evidence seems stacked against you. I would not hesitate to recommend Abigail to friends or family that find themselves facing potential repercussions from the criminal justice system.