Former UM Law School Dean Named Head of State Office of Consumer Protection

Attorney General Tim Fox announced at a press conference on Wednesday morning he has selected E. Edwin Eck of Missoula to lead the Montana Department of Justice’s Office of Consumer Protection.

Spokesman John Barnes said Eck's appointment was one of two important presentations in Helena on Wednesday.

"The first thing Attorney General Fox did at our new Office of Consumer Protection Office in Helena was to introduce Ed Eck as the new chief of the office here at the Department of Justice," Barnes said. "Ed is a Missoula institution, that's for sure. He used to be the dean of the UM Law School and was a professor for 32 years. He has a lot of wisdom and experience and is a dedicated public servant, and we thought he was the perfect person to take the lead at our Office of Consumer Protection and Victim Services."

Barnes said the Attorney General also used the occasion to feature the new office building that houses the Office of Consumer Protection.

"For the first time, all of our staffers are in one building in Helena, and it's a public-friendly building," Barnes said. "Sometimes government buildings, especially around the capital complex, aren't the most friendly to the public in terms of access, and this is an office that really needs a public presence. The new office is located in downtown Helena, where folks can come in and present their complaints in person. It's part of our overall effort to help protect Montana's consumers."