Meet The Lawyers Representing You

Thomas A. Valdez

Thomas A. Valdez has been a managing partner of Chapman Valdez & Lansing since 2006. Thomas was raised in Casper, Wyoming, graduated from Natrona County High School and attended the University of Wyoming, where he received a B.S. in Finance in 1991.

Following his graduation from U.W., Thomas was employed with Cargill, Inc., as a corporate and cost accountant. At the time, Cargill was the second largest private company in the nation. Through his employment with Cargill, Thomas gained valuable experience which would serve him well in his future law practice, including interpreting balance sheets, understanding profit/loss analysis, and gaining a general familiarity with financial documents 

Thomas then attended the University of Kansas School of Law and received his Juris Doctorate degree in 1995. He clerked for the Honorable Thomas F. Neville of the Fourth Judicial District, Boise, Idaho. After his clerkship, he joined the law firm of Eberle, Berlin, Kading, Turnbow & McKlveen in Boise, Idaho, as an associate attorney. His practice included insurance defense, commercial litigation and employment law. Thomas wanted to return to Wyoming to practice law and raise a family, so he joined the firm of Beech Street Law Office in December of 1998 and has been practicing with the founder, Frank R. Chapman, ever since.

Thomas has been practicing law in Wyoming for over 20 years and his practice has focused on all aspects of trial and litigation including auto and trucking litigation, workplace accidents, wrongful death, oilfield accidents, and other plaintiff injury cases. He has represented thousands of Wyoming citizens in virtually every district in Wyoming, protecting their rights and pursuing their claims to the full extent of the law. Thomas has litigated against governmental entities and has even successfully appealed a governmental claim act case to the Supreme Court of Wyoming in Brown v. City of Casper. He also has vast experience in criminal defense, employment law, commercial litigation and family law. Thomas has represented corporations and institutions, providing skilled representation through effectively communicating with clients and guiding them as they navigate legal, administrative and regulatory obstacles so they can focus on the goals of their organization. Thomas was voted the No. 1 attorney in the Casper Star-Tribune’s 2016 and 2018 Readers’ Choice Awards.

Thomas has three beautiful children who keep him very busy at home. He is very active in the community of Casper and has served on multiple boards including the Central Wyoming Hospice Board, Myra Fox Skelton Foundation, Natrona County 4-H Foundation, and the Natrona County School District’s Parent Community Advisory Council. Thomas enjoys fishing and hunting, playing golf, mountain biking and experiencing the great outdoors every chance he gets.

• Antitrust and Trade Regulations
• Aviation
• Business and Commercial Law
• Business Organizations
• Civil Rights
• Constitutional Law
• Contracts
• Criminal Law
• DUI/DWI
• Divorce
• Employment Law – Employee
• Employment Law – Employer
• Ethics and Professional Responsibility
• Government Agencies and Programs
• Insurance Law
• Legal Malpractice
• Litigation and Appeals
• Medical Malpractice
• Motor Vehicle Accidents – Plaintiff
• Personal Injury – Plaintiff
• Probate and Estate Administration
• Products Liability Law
• Professional Malpractice Law
• Seriously Injured Persons as a Result of Car Accidents and Medical Malpractice
• Sexual Harassment
• State, Local and Municipal Law
• Toxic Torts
• Traffic Violations
• White Collar Crimes
• Workers’ Compensation Law

• University of Kansas School of Law, Lawrence, Kansas
• Doctorate of Jurisprudence, 1995
• University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming
• B. S. in Finance, 1991
• C&I Freshman Advisory Board
• Spurs Honorary
• Talarians Honorary
• Society of Epsilon Honorary
• Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity

Licenses / Professional Associations

• Wyoming Bar Admitted August 1999
• Member of Wyoming Bar Association
• Member of WTLA
• Member of ATLA
• Idaho Bar Admitted April 1996
• Member of the Idaho Bar Association
• Colorado Bar Admitted 1996
• Member of the Colorado Bar Association

• Partner, Chapman Valdez, Casper, WY (Present) Managing Partner of a law office of four attorneys and approximately ten staff members.
• Associate, Beech Street Law Office, Casper Wyoming (1998-2005). Civil and Commercial litigation practice.
• Instructor, Wyoming Law Enforcement Academy, (2001-2004) Taught “Search and Seizure” basic training class to potential police and law enforcement officers three times year.
• Prosecuting Attorney, Town of Evansville Wyoming. Prosecuted misdemeanor cases on behalf of Town of Evansville.
• Associate, Eberle, Berlin, Kading, Turnbow & Mcklvee, Chartered, Boise Idaho Practice included insurance defense, commercial litigation, tax and estate planning, and general business transactions. (1997-1998)
• Law Clerk, Honorable Thomas F. Neville, Fourth Judicial District, Boise Idaho.
  

Representative, Park School representative to the Parent Community Advisory Council, Natrona County School District.

Michael J. Lansing

Michael Lansing has been a partner with Chapman Valdez & Lansing since joining the firm in 2014. He has a B.S. in Finance, a Master’s Degree in Business Administration and a J.D. from the University of Wyoming. Michael was a Case Note Editor for the Wyoming Law Review. Michael graduated #2 in class ranking. He clerked for the Honorable Clarence Brimmer in U.S. Federal Court – District of Wyoming.

Prior to law school, Mr. Lansing worked for Conoco Oil as Financial Analyst; Mineral and Sales Tax Auditor for State of Wyoming; Director of Child Support Enforcement and Sheridan County’s first County Administrator. Mr. Lansing also worked as an energy lender and in-house counsel for First Interstate Bank in Casper, Wyoming. Mr. Lansing practices in the area of real estate (representing the Wyoming Association of Realtors), commercial transactions, mergers and acquisitions, banking, business entities, employment issues and oil and gas. Michael has the reputation of getting transaction to the finish line using various techniques learned over 20 years of practice.

Michael Lansing was raised in Sheridan, Wyoming, and after spending 12 years in Casper returned back to his hometown to open up a second location. Michael is married to Mary and they are raising their six (6) children.

Michael serves on the Holy Name Finance Council, Sheridan Swim Club, Legacy Pregnancy Center and the Fulmer Public Library Foundation Board. He has previously served on various boards in Casper including the St. Anthony School Board and True Care’s Board.

He remains a Wyoming Cowboy fan and loves watching his children compete in a wide variety of events around the State of Wyoming including football, cross-country, marching band, diving, drama and swimming.

Patrick J. Lewallen

Patrick graduated with a B.S. in Mathematics from the University of Wyoming in 2011. He continued his education earning his J.D. from the University of Wyoming College of Law in 2015. During law school, Patrick was active in the Defender Aid Clinic, practicing in state courts, the Wyoming Supreme Court, United States District Court for the District of Wyoming, the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, and the Supreme Court of the United States.

Patrick also proudly published the first edition of Wyoming’s Public Lands Handbook while working for the Wyoming County Commissioners Association in 2015. Patrick joined Chapman Valdez & Lansing in 2015 and has expanded his practice areas to include personal injury, professional negligence, premise liability, products liability, family law, criminal defense, and business transactions. 

Patrick is involved in the local community and regularly volunteers with Big Brothers Big Sisters. In his spare time, Patrick enjoys adventuring across Wyoming with his wife, Amanda, and dog, Willow. Patrick and Amanda are expecting their first child in February.

Mikole Bede Soto

Mikole Bede Soto joined Chapman Valdez & Lansing in 2018 in the Sheridan office. 

Mikole was raised in Sheridan and then attended the University of Wyoming where she received a B.A. in History and Political Science and a Master’s in History. 

After receiving her Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Wyoming in 2017 she clerked for the Honorable Magistrate Judge Kelly Rankin in U.S. Federal Court, District of Wyoming. 

While in law school, Mikole served on the Wyoming Law Review Editorial Board as a Student Editor and published the article Access or Success? Wyoming Special Education and the Hope of a New Era in Appropriate Education. Further, Mikole wrote the trial file and was the Student Attorney for the Spence Historical Trial. Mikole was awarded the Alfred A. Pence Scholarship for recognition in trial advocacy and was named the National Association of Women’s Lawyers Outstanding Law Student of the University of Wyoming for 2017. Mikole also was the Student Director for the Civil Legal Services Clinic. As Student Director she obtained experience in various areas of the law and particularly in the areas of contracts, mediation, divorces, and Special Education. 

Since joining Chapman Valdez & Lansing, Mikole practices in the areas of family law, contracts, trust litigation, trusts and estates, guardianships and conservatorships, land, and general litigation.

Mikole finds it very important to engaged in the Sheridan community. Currently, she serves on the SAGE Community Arts Board, Sheridan Bible Church Finance Committee, CHAPS Equine Assisted Services Board, and Sheridan Chamber of Commerce Board. Mikole is also a graduate of the 2020-2021 Sheridan County Leadership class. Mikole has engaged in various speaking events in the Sheridan County area including Estate Planning Sessions with the Tongue River Community Center and Guardianships 101 with the HUB on Smith.

Mikole enjoys spending time outdoors fishing and hiking with her husband, Austin, and their four dogs, as well as riding and taking pack trips with her horses. Occasionally, Mikole will also teach a cooking class at her family's business, Verdello. 

Trevor J. Schenk

Trevor was born and raised in Casper, Wyoming. He attended the University of Montana and graduated with a B.A. in History in 2006.

He attended the University of Wyoming College of Law, graduating in 2011. While in law school, Trevor participated in the Defender Aid Clinic and was a member of Trial Competition team.

After graduating with his J.D., Trevor and his wife moved back to Casper. He began his legal career as a prosecutor for the Office of the District Attorney from 2012 to 2020. He prosecuted all manner of criminal cases, ranging from traffic tickets to DUIs to homicide. Trevor was also appointed as a Special Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Wyoming. He has experience in both state and federal court.

Trevor joined the firm in 2021. He is admitted to practice before all Wyoming state courts, the United States District Court for the District of Wyoming and the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit.

Since joining Chapman Valdez & Lansing, Trevor’s practice has focused on criminal defense, civil litigation, family law and estate matters. He is a member and former treasurer of the Natrona County Bar Association and a member of the Wyoming Trial Lawyers Association.

In his spare time, Trevor enjoys being with his wife and helping raise two boys. He enjoys all that the great outdoors in Wyoming has to offer, from bird hunting and fishing to skiing and golf.