Murthy Law Firm founder and president, Sheela Murthy, was a featured speaker at the TEDx Baltimore Women conference, held December 5th at the Women’s Exchange in downtown Baltimore. The event was organized in conjunction with the TEDWomen: Invented Here conference in San Francisco, and is part of an ongoing conversation about the ways that women and girls are reshaping the future.

This time out, the conversation focused on women’s work and lives – present and future. In a talk entitled Being A Successful Entrepreneur (With Your Spouse), Sheela Murthy shared her success story: how, in less than 20 years, she has grown a small solo immigration practice into a world-class law firm that now employs more than 85 people at its headquarters in Owings Mills, MD, and 20 more at its affiliates in India. Murthy said her success is the fruit of a creative partnership with her husband of 27 years, Vasant Nayak, a former the Maryland Institute, College of Art (MICA) professor who urged her to create an online presence at the dawn of the internet era. Working together, they have built MurthyDotCom into the most popular legal website in the world.

Ms. Murthy also talked about her passion for philanthropy, and the family foundation that she and her husband created to make a difference in the world. Murthy said her commitment to helping others stems from her experience in India: she chose to study law because she wanted to fight for justice – especially justice for girls and women – and she has chosen to share her time, talent, and treasure with organizations that help women, children, and immigrants because she recognizes how fortunate she has been, and feels obliged to give back.

It’s a wonderful summary of Ms. Murthy’s philosophy of life, and an inspirational message for other aspiring women entrepreneurs who seek to improve their own lives, and make the world a better place in the process.

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