Murthy Law Firm Employee Profile : Aron Finkelstein, Managing Attorney

Aron Finkelstein didn’t start out to be an immigration lawyer, but he could not be happier with where he is now. As assistant managing attorney for the Murthy Law Firm, he is Sheela Murthy’s right-hand man, an important presence in every aspect of the firm’s management.

Aron was drawn to immigration law early in his legal career. During law school, Aron took immigration law, and spent a summer working for Judge John F. Gossart, Jr. at the Immigration Court in Baltimore. Nonetheless, in his first job after law school, Aron was assigned to work on family and domestic law cases. “I was good at it, pushed hard for my clients, and got good outcomes – but I hated it. In divorce cases, even when the results were as good as you could get, I never felt good about the results. I needed to feel happy and excited about my work, and wanted to make a positive difference in people’s lives, not fight over which parent paid for what. When I finally got a chance to practice immigration law, it gave me the chance to make that positive difference.”

Aron’s big break came when his previous employer asked him to handle an immigration case. The case involved an individual who had endured a string of complications in his quest for citizenship. “It was not an easy case, but I when I helped him to get his citizenship, word spread through his community, and pretty soon I had many immigration cases. So, in a way, immigration found me, and I’m glad it did.” Aron soon joined the Murthy Law Firm, and the rest is history.

“What I enjoy most at this firm is working with Sheela. She sets the tone, and makes everyone feel welcome. A week after I started, there was a party at the firm, and Sheela noticed I wasn’t eating the pizza. She asked me why, and I explained my dietary restrictions. Sheela said that, from now on, she would make sure we always had pizza I could eat. I was new here, and it felt great that she cared that much about making me feel welcome – part of the team.”

On Oct 13, 2009, Aron marked ten years with the Murthy Law Firm, and said it has been a great experience. “Each year, your understanding of immigration law gets richer. The more you learn, the more you pick up on the finer nuances, the finer details.” He said the culture of the firm encourages the attorneys to share their knowledge with one another. “It’s a team environment, one where everyone is helping everyone else to succeed on behalf of our clients – and this is one of our biggest strengths. The question is always, ‘What’s the best way we can help our clients?'”

Aron is happy to share his considerable knowledge with his colleagues at the Murthy Law Firm, but said he also is helping to train the next generation of immigration lawyers by teaching immigration law at the University of Baltimore Law School.

The pleasure Aron takes in his work is obvious. “This work helps people – it makes a difference in peoples’ lives. We help companies to fulfill their needs, to get the workers they need, but we also help people to come here and get a piece of the American dream, for themselves and for their families. It’s kind of like an annuity – you help one person to come to the United States, and it pays dividends for generations to come. Years after I’m gone, the children and grandchildren of my clients will still be getting the benefits from all the opportunities of life in the United States, and that’s pretty exciting.”