About Thad
Thad Murphy trained as a historian before turning to law. He earned a B.A. in History from Grinnell College in 1996 and completed his J.D. at the University of Iowa School of Law in 2000. Those years left him comfortable with dense records and complex timelines. They also shaped the patient, methodical approach he brings to client work.
He entered practice after law school and has built a career centered on benefits and elder law issues. Murphy is a VA Accredited Lawyer, which allows him to represent veterans before the Department of Veterans Affairs. He is a current member of the National Organization of Social Security Claimants’ Representatives and the National Organization of Veterans’ Advocates. Those memberships reflect steady involvement in national networks that address disability and veterans’ benefits.
Murphy also belongs to WealthCounsel and ElderCounsel, groups that focus on estate planning and elder law. He holds a local bar association membership in the Dubuque County Bar Association and keeps professional ties to the American Association for Justice. That mix of affiliations points to practice areas that include veterans’ benefits, Social Security disability, elder law, and related estate planning matters.
Throughout his career he has worked within a firm setting. He is currently an attorney at Pearson Bollman Law. His daily work involves claims, appeals, paperwork and hearings — the nuts-and-bolts of securing benefits and protecting older adults’ interests. He represents clients in administrative proceedings and helps prepare the documentation those proceedings demand.
Colleagues and clients find his work steady rather than showy. He approaches files the same way a historian approaches a manuscript: trace the record, spot the inconsistencies, and build a clear narrative. That style serves benefit claims and elder law matters well because those matters often turn on careful chronology and precise documentation.
Outside of client files he remains connected to national and local professional organizations. He uses those connections to keep up on changes in veterans’ law, Social Security rules, and estate-planning best practices. He currently practices at Pearson Bollman Law and focuses on veterans’ benefits, Social Security disability, elder law, and estate-planning matters.
