Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1453344
SIGNATURE MONTANA | 49 She is a fourth-generation Montanan and has always felt very connected to her hometown. She grew up surrounded by a large Irish Catholic extended family who loved to share stories of the early days in Great Falls. ere was also physical evidence of her family history. Her mother's grandfather Peter Johnson built the historic Johnson Hotel in Great Falls and owned a ranch near Tiger Bue. Her paternal grandfather was a bricklayer of many Great Falls landmarks like the C.M. Russell School. Her mother spent summers on the Tiger Bue ranch, and her dad ran cows on land he owned near Raynesford in the Judith Basin, so Caitlin grew up an iconic girl riding horses and helping out at the small working ranch. Caitlin's father is an aorney in Great Falls, which probably had a lot to do with her participation in high school debate, an early interest in politics – and eventual choice to be an aorney. She laughs, remembering the time when her dad sent her to the voting booth with her mom to help her choose the preferred judges in a non- partisan race. "When I was ten, I could name all the judges in our District Court." She graduated from Georgetown University in 2010 for undergraduate work and then studied political theory at the University St. Andrews, where she met her future husband, Samir Aarab. e couple shared a goal of seing up their own law practice in Montana and earned their law degrees at the University of Montana. ey both wanted to be in the courtroom and were interested in civil litigation and criminal defense. Caitlin explains, "We wanted to represent the folks who may not have financial access to the courtroom otherwise." Caitlin and Samir both gained a variety of experience as law clerks in e Montana Aorney General's Office of Consumer Protection and as editors of the Montana Law Review before establishing Boland Aarab PLLP in 2017. e week they opened the law firm, they welcomed their first son. Caitlin says it has been busy ever since. She adds, "Happy busy." Four years later, they have three sons and a baby girl on the way – and a coffee shop. A love for good coffee and Samir's family background in running coffee shops in Europe led to their establishment of Luna Coffee Bar downstairs from their office in 2020. Caitlin says her husband loves Montana. She says with a laugh, "He should be the mascot for Great Falls." He has discovered the quality of life and sense of community that Caitlin treasures so much --a solid work ethic and the neighborliness of its people. Caitlin says, "I missed the culture of the West…everybody has a story of how they got here." All of this has become even more precious to her since she had children. Caitlin loves having her family close and the warm feeling of knowing that her children are fih-generation Montanans – and she will tell them the story of how she got here as her life comes full circle. Kay Bjork is headquartered on Swan Lake where she and her husband have launched on a multitude of Montana adventures. S MT RETURNING HOME The Boland Aarab firm has the goal of representing those who otherwise might not have financial access to the courtroom. Caitlin and her husband Samir set up a law firm in Great Falls focused on civil litigation and criminal defense.