Shaw & Murphy

What Shaw & Murphy does

Shaw & Murphy, PLLC is a privately held general practice law firm headquartered in Ithaca, New York, with a secondary office in Groton. The firm's roots extend nearly 50 years to approximately 1976, when it was founded by William R. Shaw, a former Mayor of Ithaca and Administrative Judge for the State Division of Youth. Today the firm is led by Managing Member Liam G.B. Murphy and Member Natanya DeWeese, supported by Attorney Of Counsel Michael Madeo, three paralegals, and Retired Senior Counsel William R. Shaw. Its core technology stack is built on Clio legal practice management software, which provides client login, online intake, and payment processing; the firm does not deploy proprietary technology, AI, or APIs beyond standard professional services tooling.

The firm serves individuals, families, small businesses, not-for-profits, and college students across Ithaca, Cortland, and surrounding upstate New York communities, with a specialized emphasis on Title IX and college disciplinary defense at Cornell University, Ithaca College, Binghamton University, SUNY Oswego, and SUNY Geneseo. Practice areas span business formation and transactions, family law (including LGBTQIA+ family law), wills/trusts/estate planning, residential and commercial real estate, criminal defense, litigation, alternative dispute resolution, appeals, and Greek life/student organization representation. Revenue is generated entirely through professional services billed on a quote-based, primarily hourly model, with free initial consultations offered to drive intake. The go-to-market motion is sales-led, relying on community reputation, professional referrals, and a digital presence via LinkedIn, Facebook, and the company website, with no external institutional investment or capital structure beyond member ownership.

Name

Shaw & Murphy

Legal name

Shaw & Murphy, PLLC

Website

https://shawlawfirm.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1976

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Shaw & Murphy, PLLC is a privately held general practice law firm serving individuals, families, small businesses, and college students in Ithaca, Groton, and upstate New York, with specialized Title IX and college disciplinary defense practices.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Ithaca

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Legal Services: Professional legal services billed primarily through hourly rates for various practice areas including family law, real estate, criminal defense, business law, estate planning, and student disciplinary matters. Services provided to individuals, families, businesses, and student organizations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Shaw & Murphy, PLLC is a general practice law firm providing high-caliber personal and business legal services across twelve interconnected practice areas including business formation, family law, estate planning, real estate (residential and commercial), criminal defense, litigation, alternative dispute resolution, appeals, and specialized Title IX and college disciplinary defense. Services are delivered through direct attorney-client relationships in Ithaca and Groton, New York, with billing primarily on an hourly, quote-based model.

Product overview

Shaw & Murphy, PLLC is a general practice law firm providing comprehensive legal services to individuals and businesses in Ithaca, Cortland, and surrounding New York communities. The firm operates as a unified legal services platform with twelve interconnected practice areas enabling clients to receive coordinated counsel across multiple legal needs. Core service modules include Business Support (formation, M&A, employment), Family Law and LGBTQIA+ Family Law, Estate Planning (wills, trusts, probate), Real Estate (residential and commercial), Criminal Defense, Litigation, Alternative Dispute Resolution (mediation, arbitration, collaborative law), Appeals, Greek Life & Student Group representation, and specialized Title IX/College Discipline defense services. The firm also provides client-facing digital services through Clio integration for client login, payments, and intake. The firm serves Cornell University, Ithaca College, Binghamton University, SUNY Oswego, SUNY Geneseo, and other upstate New York institutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Business Support Services Legal services supporting business formation and ongoing operations including B Corporation, S Corporation, LLC/PLLC formation, community group organization, business buying/selling/merging, not-for-profit setup, employment law, and commercial law. Targeted at small businesses, startups, and not-for-profit organizations.
• Family Law Services Client advocacy in family disputes including child custody and visitation, child support, relocation, adoption, separation agreements, divorce, spousal maintenance, and alternatives to court resolution. Targeted at individuals and families navigating difficult relationships and life transitions.
• Wills, Trusts, and Estate Planning Estate planning services covering wills, powers of attorney, health care proxy/living wills, trusts, estate administration/probate, and standby letters of guardianship. Targeted at individuals, families, and those planning for future care and asset distribution.
• Appeals Appellate legal representation for trial outcomes not in client's favor, including appeals to appellate courts and college/university disciplinary proceedings appeals. Targeted at clients seeking to overturn adverse trial or institutional decisions.
• Greek Life and Student Group Legal Services Specialized legal support for fraternities, sororities, and student organizations including risk management training, officer training, tailored seminars, campus disciplinary proceedings, not-for-profit corporations, building/fire code compliance, real property management, and landlord/tenant issues. Targeted at Greek life organizations and student groups at upstate New York universities.
• Residential Real Estate Legal representation for home buyers and sellers including contract evaluation, broker relationships, construction issues, tax assessment challenges, mortgage options evaluation, foreclosures, boundary line issues, zoning/code compliance, leases, and evictions. Targeted at individual home buyers, sellers, landlords, and tenants.
• Commercial Real Estate Legal services for real estate businesses covering buying and selling income properties, Section 1031 exchanges, financing options evaluation, partnership/joint venture structuring, construction issues, tax assessment challenges, foreclosures, boundary line issues, zoning/code compliance, leases, and evictions. Targeted at small and large real estate businesses.
• Criminal Defense Criminal defense representation including DWI, traffic charges, violations (open container, harassment), misdemeanors (assault, theft, mischief), and sexual assault/harassment cases. Targeted at individuals charged with criminal offenses.
• LGBTQIA+ Family Law Family law services valuing each client's gender expression, identity, and sexual orientation, including estate planning and relationship protections for LGBTQIA+ individuals and families.
• Litigation Services Full litigation representation for served lawsuits or unresolved disputes, including trial advocacy in Town, State, and Federal Courts. Targeted at individuals and businesses in active disputes.
• Alternative Dispute Resolution Non-court dispute resolution methods including negotiation, mediation, collaborative law, and arbitration to resolve conflicts outside traditional litigation. Targeted at individuals and businesses seeking to avoid court proceedings.
• Title IX and College Discipline Defense Defense and advisory services for students accused of Title IX violations, code of conduct violations, and academic integrity violations at Cornell University, Ithaca College, Binghamton University, SUNY Oswego, SUNY Geneseo, and other upstate New York universities. Also represents complainants, student organizations, and witnesses in campus disciplinary proceedings.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 20 reported appellate opinions
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Regional players

• Miller Mayer, LLP: Ithaca-based general practice law firm serving individuals, families, and businesses in Tompkins County and the Finger Lakes region. Directly comparable as a similarly-sized local general practice competing in the same catchment area across overlapping practice areas including business, estate planning, and real estate.
• Hinman, Howard & Kattell, LLP: Multi-office upstate New York law firm headquartered in Binghamton serving clients across the Southern Tier. Comparable because it competes for general practice and commercial work in the same Ithaca/Cortland/CNY geography as Shaw & Murphy, with broader resources.
• Levene Gouldin & Thompson, LLP: Binghamton-area full-service law firm with offices across upstate New York. Comparable as a regional full-service competitor serving the same Southern Tier and CNY client base with overlapping personal and commercial practice areas.
• Coughlin & Gerhart, LLP: Binghamton-headquartered multi-office law firm serving upstate New York with personal, business, and litigation practices. Comparable as a regional general practice competing in overlapping practice areas within driving distance of Shaw & Murphy's client base.
• Heslinga & Whately, LLP: Ithaca-based law firm serving Tompkins County with overlapping general practice areas. Comparable as a similarly-sized local competitor in the same primary geography.

Broad incumbents

• Harris Beach PLLC: Large upstate New York law firm with offices across the state and into Pennsylvania. Comparable as a broader incumbent in the same upstate NY legal market, offering overlapping business, real estate, family, and litigation services with materially greater scale.
• Bond, Schoeneck & King PLLC: Major upstate New York law firm with offices throughout the state. Comparable as a large incumbent competing for business law, employment, real estate, and estate planning matters in the same geographic region.

Direct peers

• Tully Rinckey PLLC: Albany-headquartered New York law firm with a recognized student and campus defense practice serving students across NY universities. Directly comparable in the Title IX and college discipline defense niche that is Shaw & Murphy's most differentiated offering.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/people/Shaw-Murphy/100069872654014
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/shaw-murphy-pllc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Shaw & Murphy