7 December 2021

Having started out as an immigration paralegal in 2002 at a law firm in Richmond, Virginia, Murty Gollakota has risen through the ranks to partnership level. He joined Laura Devine Immigration almost nine years ago as a Senior Associate Attorney in the New York team and was promoted to partner on 1 December 2021.

We sat down with Murty to discuss what this milestone means for him and why he chose to become an immigration lawyer.

How does it feel to have been made partner?

It is an incredible feeling to be made partner. I think it is an achievement every attorney in private practice strives for, me included. I am very excited to work with the other partners to grow the practice further and build and sustain a strong team.

Why did you decide to become a lawyer?

I have always had an interest in advocacy, whether it was through civic or academic engagement. When the time came to finally figure out my professional goals, I wanted to put that interest to use. Law school and the practice of law seemed like the best professional manifestation of that interest.

Why immigration law?

My sister and I were born in the US but the rest of my family had to go through the immigration process to become green card holders, and eventually US Citizens. My sister was a green card holder before moving to India to live there for a couple of years. Because of her time abroad, her green card was deemed abandoned and she had to go through that process again. She entered the US as the spouse of a student and it took many years before she became a green card holder again. Her experience and the difficulties of navigating through that process always stuck with me so when it came time to consider an area of practice, immigration was high on my mind.

What is the most challenging thing about being a lawyer?

For our clients, immigration is a very personal matter. It means making a life in the US with a married partner. It means moving to the US to start a new job or start a new business. Add to that the complexity of the process can create a great deal of stress for clients. Helping them manage expectations and having to recalibrate expectations due to COVID has been a great challenge. Our team has done a great job with this, especially when we approach these issues with empathy.

What is the most rewarding thing about being a lawyer?

First and foremost being made partner has been a tremendous milestone in my career. I am grateful to the confidence this firm has in me and the responsibility it has given to me. Second would be succeeding with difficult cases. Our firm has a great reputation for achieving immigration goals that other firms state are not possible. I have had many clients who come to us after being told no. It is incredibly rewarding to work with them and to obtain an approval on a visa that they have been told they could not achieve.

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This promotion comes at a time of growth for the firm with a significant number of new joiners across the London and New York offices this autumn.