Michael Murray

Mike Murray advises employers on business immigration strategy, helping them recruit and retain international talent while managing visa requirements and compliance obligations. His practice spans workforce planning, employment-based visas, green card sponsorship and immigration programs designed around an organization’s operational needs. Michael works with hospitals, health centers, research institutions and companies across industries, with a particular focus on the immigration needs of health care employers.

For hospitals, health systems and medical practices, Michael handles physician immigration, including J-1 visas and the Conrad 30 and Regional Waiver Programs. His work also covers employment-based visas for nurses and allied health professionals. He has secured visas for physicians serving underserved communities and advises on extraordinary ability visas and green cards, including EB-1 and EB-2 classifications and national interest waivers.

Michael also develops immigration strategies for growing and multinational companies. He advises on H-1B, L-1, E-1/E-2 and TN visas, as well as H-1B alternatives, and guides employers through green card sponsorship, including PERM and labor certification. Rather than approaching each filing in isolation, he works with organizations to align immigration decisions with their longer-term workforce needs.

Compliance is a substantial part of Michael’s practice. He counsels HR and in-house legal teams, conducts I-9 audits and training, and helps organizations prepare for USCIS site visits. His work includes developing proactive immigration programs in a highly scrutinized environment and preparing employers for I-9 audits and USCIS inspections. He takes account of each organization’s goals, workforce pressures and tolerance for risk when recommending a course of action.

Michael trained as an associate attorney at national law firms in Boston and New York City before co-founding and leading a Portland, Maine-based firm devoted exclusively to immigration law. He also serves as an Adjunct Professor of Immigration Law. In his client work, he emphasizes clear explanations of complex requirements and practical guidance that employers can put into effect.

• JD, Stanford University School of Law
• BA, Sarah Lawrence College

• State of Maine

Katahdin Counsel, Honoring Pro Bono Legal Services in Maine (2012)

American Immigration Lawyers Association