James Murphy
James Murphy, known mononymously as MetaLawMan, is a veteran financial services and securities lawyer, and the leader of MetaLawMan, a source of objective metaverse and Web3 content and commentary on legal and business issues arising in the metaverse. MetaLawMan is Murphy’s digital persona as a thought leader on metaverse-related issues on social media channels. He has become an authority and lecturer on the topic of U.S. regulation of digital assets, including cryptocurrencies. Prior to joining the metaverse ecosystem, Murphy spent three decades as a practicing securities lawyer. He was the Founder and Chairman of Murphy & McGonigle, a financial services boutique law firm. Under his leadership, the firm grew rapidly, attracting elite talent from the SEC, CFTC and U.S. Department of Justice. He also served as a Partner for thirteen years at LeclairRyan.
James Murphy Professional Experience / Academic History
Academic History
-
J.D., Doctor of Law
-
B.A., Economics
MURPHY & MCGONIGLE
James co-started Murphy & McGonigle to represent clients in the securities and banking industries.
In 2017, the firm pivoted towards representing emerging companies that were leveraging blockchain technology.
Under his leadership, the firm was named 2021's "Law Firm of the Year" for Securities Regulation by the U.S. News.
Murphy & McGonigle was also named Best Lawyers' "Best Law Firms."
After his retirement at the end of 2021 to pursue his interests in the metaverse, the firm was acquired by an Am Law 100 firm.
EARLY LEGAL CAREER
During his time as a lawyer, James's field of expertise is securities law.
He was an Associate for five years at McGuire, Woods, Battle & Boothe, one of the world’s leading law firms.
He started his legal career as an Associate at Jones, Bell, Simpson & Abbott, a premiere law firm providing sophisticated legal representation.
MEDIA & APPEARANCES
Murphy has appeared in various financial media outlets and publications, including Yahoo! Finance, Cointelegraph, CoinDesk, and Binance, among others.
He has also appeared as a guest on Real Vision.