Meet the Murthy Law Firm: Jim McLaughlin

The dedicated team of attorneys, paralegals, and support staff at the Murthy Law Firm is integral to our success. Day after day, they help to fulfill the dreams of our clients through their integrity, diligence, and commitment to excellence. To introduce our readers to the dozens of individuals who come together to make our clients and our firm successful, we periodically present one of our exceptional team members. This entry in our continuing series, Meet the Murthy Law Firm, shines the spotlight on attorney James “Jim” McLaughlin.

From an early age, Jim realized he had a passion for making the world a better place and dreamed of traveling outside the small New England town where he grew up in order to pursue social justice. “As a little kid, I thought I’d grow up to be a general in the army, fighting bad guys. As I grew older, I stayed focused on fighting bad guys, but I became less interested in using militaristic means, and more interested in changing things through political means.” In high school, Jim discovered his talent for music and learned to play the bass guitar, though his interest in political activism never waned. “When I wasn’t at band practice or in school, I was at a political event.”

Although Jim wanted to continue his education after graduating high school, money was tight, so he found a job with an investment company that offered tuition reimbursement. As a full-time student with a full-time job, Jim had a busy schedule, but he always made time to attend marches for important social causes, such as human rights and protecting the environment. But, eventually, Jim had an epiphany and realized that he wanted to do more than march. “I decided in that moment that I needed a better platform. Perhaps I could work within the system to make a difference. I then decided to go to law school.” He applied and was accepted into the University of New Hampshire’s Franklin Pierce Law Center, he quit his job, and spent a summer traveling through Europe.

Through his travels Jim met his wife, who is originally from Romania. Their introduction became the catalyst for Jim’s career in immigration law. “… I got a paid internship with a patent law firm in Munich, and came back knowing that I needed to find a way to get her to the U.S. – which is where immigration enters my story. That’s when I discovered how complicated it is.” He spent his last semester of law school in a full-time externship for a Boston immigration firm and got married after graduation. After working for a boutique immigration firm for three years, Jim joined the Murthy Law Firm. He enjoys the team atmosphere and appreciates how diverse viewpoints and perspectives are welcomed. “Other firms are very top down. When a unique case comes up here, we talk about how to handle it. We all have different histories and different experiences, and by sharing that knowledge, we reach better decisions. … Vasant [Nayak] and Sheela [Murthy] and everyone at the firm are all very approachable, making it a very warm place to work.”

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