Maureen James

Maureen James grew up wearing out the question, “why?”  Her parents always knew that her quiet curiosity, voracious reading and observant nature would benefit her, but they didn’t know where it would take her.  When she left for college in Boston, a far cry from the comforts of her small Western Mass. community, Maureen was still unsure herself.  During college, the complexities and diversity of a large university sitting in a very large metropolitan city provided daily lessons on communication, negotiation and how to avoid a parking ticket.

Those lessons helped confirm for Maureen that law school would be her next step. She began her career practicing insurance defense for a small firm near Boston. Although she loved her firm, after several years, it was time for a move closer to family and a return to Western Mass. Upon returning to the Pioneer Valley, Maureen engaged with the local community and this work has provided Maureen with a detailed understanding of the difficult scenarios employers face when defending claims of discrimination, harassment, wrongful terminations and allegations of violations of FMLA. “When our clients have problems, there is no one-size-fits-all band-aid. Our clients need specialized solutions to fit their business and my goal is to help them find the most efficient way to address issues that have arisen, and to give them the information to prevent problems in the future.”

Maureen has continued to build relationships within the community and volunteers with several local programs focusing on the needs of persons with disabilities, issues related to food insecurity, and advancing healthcare opportunities and services within the area.