Peter Dayton grew up in Bozeman, Montana, and attended Montana State University (B.Mus.Ed., 1974) and the University of Pennsylvania (J.D., 1981). He joined the firm in 1994 and became a partner in 1995.
Peter’s practice focuses on a wide range of real estate matters, including purchase and sale transactions, subdivision and development activity, commercial leasing, easement and access issues, survey and boundary disputes, 1031 exchanges, and conservation easements.

Peter has presented statewide continuing legal education seminars on commercial leasing; subordination, attornment, and non-disturbance agreements; drafting easements; easement law; public road law; structuring complex real estate and business transactions; preparing closing instruction letters; handling transactions which involve stacked contracts for deed; developing forms for real estate and business transactions; and the federal lead-based paint regulations.

Peter has served on the board of directors of the Missoula Symphony Association and the Missoula Whitewater Association. He led a 15-year project to protect the land along the Alberton Gorge on the Clark Fork River, a scenic and popular section of whitewater about 40 miles west of Missoula. He plays the violin in the Missoula Symphony, and is a very active kayaker, backcountry skier and ski mountaineer, snowmobiler, hunter, spearfisher, fisherman, bicyclist, hiker, and photographer.