Silverman Law Office attorney Katie Verderber earns 20 Under 40 honor

Silverman Law Office attorney Katie Verderber has been named a 2026 20 Under 40 honoree by the Helena Independent Record and the Helena Area Chamber of Commerce. The recognition highlights her legal work, military service, Paralympic career and efforts to grow adaptive sports in Helena.

Why it matters: - The 20 Under 40 recognition spotlights Helena-area leaders under 40 who are judged on leadership and community impact. - Verderber’s profile spans law, military service, adaptive sports and public service, giving the award broader local visibility. - Her recognition also draws attention to adaptive sports access in Montana.

What happened: - Silverman Law Office attorney Katie Verderber was named a 2026 20 Under 40 honoree by the Helena Independent Record and the Helena Area Chamber of Commerce. - The award honors young professionals under 40 who show leadership and lasting impact in the Helena community. - Verderber also holds the title of YWCA Helena’s 2026 Woman of the Year. - Verderber is a U.S. Army veteran and a U.S. Paralympic athlete.

The details: - Verderber practices law at Silverman Law Office in business, contract, real estate and probate litigation. - Verderber previously served as a Judge Advocate General in the U.S. Army, advising military commanders during overseas operations. - While deployed to Afghanistan in 2019, Verderber sustained a spinal cord injury that led to paralysis. - After medically retiring from the military, Verderber returned to Montana and took up adaptive sports. - Verderber earned one of five U.S. roster spots in wheelchair curling for the 2026 Winter Paralympic Games in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy. - Verderber has worked through the Last Chance Curling Club in Helena to expand access to adaptive sports and introduce community members to curling and adaptive curling. - Silverman Law Office is a Montana-based firm with offices in Helena, Bozeman, Billings, Butte and Big Timber. - The firm provides legal services in business, tax, estate planning, real estate and probate law. - Mark Shutey, chief operations officer at Silverman Law Office, said Verderber reflects the leadership, resilience and community commitment the award was designed to honor. - Verderber joins 19 other honorees selected for the 2026 20 Under 40 recognition.

Between the lines: - The award adds a community leadership badge to an already unusual career path that includes military service, disability advocacy and elite sport. - Verderber’s story connects professional achievement with public-facing resilience, which likely strengthens her local standing beyond the legal field. - The adaptive sports work suggests a wider civic role that extends beyond her law practice.

What's next: - Verderber will be recognized alongside the other 2026 20 Under 40 honorees. - Her ongoing work in law and adaptive sports is likely to keep her visible in Helena and across Montana. - More information is available at the firm's website.