Shaw & Murphy, PLLC

Real Lawyers for Real People

For nearly 50 years, we've provided high-caliber personal and business legal services to clients in Ithaca, Cortland and surrounding communities,  We are general practice lawyers on purpose:  Our clients benefit from our broad knowledge of the law, our careful listening and our focus on how the law interacts with all facets of our clients' lives.

General Practice, Ithaca, New York

Practice Areas

At Shaw & Murphy, PLLC, we provide the following legal services.

Business Support

Interested in starting a business, but not sure which entity is right for you? We can help, whether it be::

  • Forming a B Corporation
  • Setting Up an S Corporation
  • Creating LLCs or PLLCs
  • Organizing Community Groups
  • Buying a Business 
  • Selling a Business
  • Merging Businesses
  • Dissolving/Closing a Business
  • Setting Up a Not-for-Profit 

To support your business, we also have experience in:

  • Employment Law
  • Commercial Law

Family Matters

We help clients navigate the turmoil of difficult relationships, helping find the solution that best fits a client's needs and goals in disputes such as:

  • Child Custody & Visitation
  • Child Support
  • Relocation
  • Adoption
  • Separation Agreements
  • Divorce
  • Spousal Maintenance
  • Alternatives to Court

Title IX, College Discipline, and Student Misconduct Defense Matters

We have decades of experience in helping students and staff navigate college and university rules whether as victim or respondent:

  • Student Code of Conduct Violations
  • Title IX and Sexual Harassment 
  • Substance Abuse Issues
  • Staff Code of Conduct Issues
  • Academic Integrity Problems
  • Assault, Harassment, Mischief
  • Fake ID Issues


Wills, Trusts, and Estate Planning

Whether you're fresh out of grad school, newly married, combining families, or starting retirement, we can assist you and your family with:

  • Wills
  • Powers of Attorney
  • Health Care Proxy/Living Wills
  • Trusts
  • Estate Administration/Probate
  • Standby Letters of Guardianship

Greek Life & Student Groups

With decades of experience as students, supportive alumni and national leaders, we guide clients through issues facing Fraternities, Sororities and other student organizations, including:

  • Risk Management Training
  • Officer Training
  • Tailored Seminars
  • Campus Disciplinary Proceedings
  • Supporting Alumni Groups
  • Not-for-Profit Corporations
  • Building/Fire Code Compliance
  • Real Property Management
  • Landlord/Tenant Issues
  • University Relations
  • Rent and Dues Collections

Residential Real Estate

For many people, buying a home is their single biggest investment.  Use our experience to advise you on:

  • Evaluating a Contract to Buy/Sell
  • Relationships with Brokers
  • Construction Issues
  • Challenging Tax Assessments
  • Evaluate Mortgage Options
  • Foreclosures
  • Boundary Line Issues
  • Zoning/Code Compliance
  • Leases
  • Evictions

Commercial Real Estate

We have decades of experience helping large and small real estate businesses with: 

  • Buying and Selling Income Properties
  • Sec. 1031 Exchanges
  • Construction Issues
  • Challenging Tax Assessments
  • Evaluate Financing Options
  • Partnerships/Joint Ventures
  • Foreclosures
  • Boundary Line Issues
  • Zoning/Code Compliance
  • Leases
  • Evictions

Criminal

We put our decades of experience to help defend clients in the criminal process, including:

  • Driving While Intoxicated (DWI)
  • Other Traffic Charges
  • Violations (open container, harassment)
  • Misdemeanors (assault, theft, mischief) 
  • Sexual Harassment


LGBTQIA+ Family Law

We value each individual client's gender expression, identity, and sexual orientation. Please reach out so we can help support you and your loved ones in navigating estate planning and other forms of relationship protections.

Litigation

If you have been served with a lawsuit, or have been unable to come to an agreement with an opponent, we will zealously advocate your position and guide you through the Court process. We are experienced in representing clients at trial in a variety of cases in Town, State, and Federal Courts.

Alternatives to Litigation

Court is not always the first or best way to resolve disputes. Based on our experience and training, we will help you choose the way to resolve your disputes that works best for you or your business, including through:

Appeals

Sometimes even after a well-researched and carefully conducted trial, the result is not in your favor. Based on decades of experience and, in Ms. DeWeese’s case, working for an appellate court, we have deep experience in crafting compelling arguments on appeal both to appellate courts and for appeals within college and university disciplinary proceedings.

We are ready to help you.
Connect with us.

General Practice Lawyer

About Shaw & Murphy, PLLC

Shaw & Murphy is the current firm encompassing practices going back nearly 50 years  We provide high-caliber, personal and commercial legal services to clients in Ithaca, Cortland and surrounding communities. We are proud members of these communities working along side our clients.  We are a general practice for a reason: Clients benefit from a broad view of the law:  We know how divorce impacts your business, or how buying a house means you need to think about your estate planning or how a college disciplinary issue impacts your career choices. 


We are trustworthy, fair professionals, many with decades of experience, dedicated to being practical teachers and effective, assertive communicators.  


Our team works together to actively listen to clients, identifying their needs and collaborating with them to find appropriate, comprehensive solutions to meet their goals. 

General Practice Legal Team

Meet the team

We each bring unique backgrounds to the law firm. We continually strive for excellence in meeting our clients’ legal needs.  You can find out more about our colleagues education, experiences and interests on LinkedIn.  

Liam G.B. Murphy

Liam G.B. Murphy

Managing Member

Liam G.B. Murphy studied economics at Brown University (1985) and law at New York University (1988). Admitted in New York in 1989, he practiced in large NYC law firms and in boutique litigation firms until settling in Ithaca in 1999. When not practicing law, he enjoys working with young people in scouting programs, raising apple trees and exploring the Finger Lakes.

Natanya DeWeese

Natanya DeWeese

Member

Natanya DeWeese joined Shaw & Murphy in 2015. After graduating from Cornell Law School, Ms. DeWeese clerked for the New York Supreme Court Appellate Division, Fourth Department in Rochester, New York. After her clerkship, Ms. DeWeese worked in private practice in Rochester before coming to Shaw & Murphy.

Justine Lewis

Justine Lewis

Associate

Justine Lewis is a local to the area, with graduate degrees from Cornell University and a PhD from Binghamton University. After working for USAID both at home and abroad, she most recently graduated in 2024 from Mitchell Hamline School of Law.

Andrea Simoens

Andrea Simoens

Senior Paralegal

Andrea joined Shaw & Murphy in 2016 as a Paralegal, bringing over 22 years of experience as a Paralegal and Office Manager for another firm. Andrea attended Tompkins Community College where she was enrolled in the Paralegal and Accounting programs.

DeAnna Eastburn

DeAnna Eastburn

Paralegal

DeAnna Eastburn has decades of business management experience, and a Paralegal Associates Degree from Tompkins Community College.

William R. Shaw

William R. Shaw

Retired Senior Counsel

William R. Shaw retired effective December 2021 after a unique blend of public service and over 40 years of private practice of law. As a founder of the Tompkins County Youth Court, a Cornell fraternity member and a former Ithaca mayor, he still regularly shares his perspective with the firm's lawyers, while also spending time consulting on forestry and making maple syrup.

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Location

109 East Seneca Street
Ithaca, NY 14850

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