Curran, Berger & Kludt, also known as CBK Immigration, was a Massachusetts-based immigration law firm that assisted individuals and institutions with immigration matters. The firm was founded in 1984 and focused on helping clients gain work authorizations and resident status through the Deferred Action on Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. The firm worked with several law school legal clinics including Cornell University’s Path2Papers program for DACA recipients. The firm closed in July 2024 after partner Megan Kludt was appointed by then-U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland to the Board of Immigration Appeals, and Dan Berger, the firm’s other partner, opted to join another firm. ^{1 2}

Background

Curran, Berger & Kludt was founded by Massachusetts attorney Joseph Curran in 1984, who formed a practice focused on immigration law, including helping companies set up programs to bring skilled labor from overseas as well as representing illegal immigrants, visa holders, and asylum seekers. A 2004 profile of Curran stated that his clients included “Northeast Utilities and TopFlite to smaller firms, who want to bring in talent from overseas. In all, the firm has about 200 academic and business clients in addition to its family and refugee work.” ³

Curran criticized an “atmosphere of paranoia” within the immigration system following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, stating in 2004 that “Before, if you asked for immigration benefits — employment authorization, a visa, a visit from your wife — they would see if you were eligible. There was an open mind. Now, at U.S. embassies and at the borders, the atmosphere is, ‘no, you can’t have it.’ Everyone is worried. They’re afraid they’ll be the one who lets in the wrong person,” he continued, adding, “you don’t want to be named Muhammad if you’re trying to get into the U.S.” ³

Activity

In addition to its legal work focused on immigration law, Curran, Berger & Kludt was involved in advocacy efforts and affiliated with law schools’ legal clinics centered on allowing illegal immigrants to apply for legal resident status and supporting the U.S. increasing its acceptance of asylum seekers. ⁴

The firm was a member of Evacuate Our Allies (EOA), a coalition of veterans’ groups, human rights organizations, religious groups, and refugee organizations advocating for the relocation and resettlement of at-risk Afghans after the United States military withdrawal in 2021. ^{5 6}

Union Representation

Curran, Berger & Kludt was also unique in that it was among the few immigration law firms that had a unionized staff. The 41 employees of the firm were represented by Legal Workers for Immigrant Solidarity (LWIS), a branch of United Auto Workers (UAW) Local 2322 that had represented the firm’s workers since 2021. ⁷

The decision to close the firm, while not directly linked to conflicts with the union, came after multiple years of negotiations between LWIS and the firm and after the union “considered a strike vote after being unable to find a compromise on issues relating to wages for legal and front desk staff, healthcare premium percentages paid by the employer, and the possibility of positions being eliminated and union employees replaced by subcontracted workers.” ⁷

Closure

In 2024, Curran, Berger & Kludt closed after partner Megan Kludt was appointed by then-U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland to the Board of Immigration Appeals, and Dan Berger, the firm’s other partner, opted to join another firm rather than take over as managing partner. ⁴

1. ^[1] MacDougall, Alexander. “Prominent immigration law firm in Northampton to close, affecting 30-plus employees.” Daily Hampshire Gazette. July 17, 2024. Accessed March 10, 2025. https://www.gazettenet.com/CBK-immigration-to-close-at-the-end-of-July-56054087
2. “Home.” Curran, Berger & Kludt. Accessed March 10, 2025. https://cbkimmigration.com/
3. Bednar, Joseph.  “Coming to America: Immigration Specialist Joseph Curran Has Successfully Filled a Legal Niche” Business West. August 2004. Accessed March 10, 2025. https://cbkimmigration.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/joe-curran.pdf
4. MacDougall, Alexander. “Prominent immigration law firm in Northampton to close, affecting 30-plus employees.” Daily Hampshire Gazette. July 17, 2024. Accessed March 10, 2025. https://www.gazettenet.com/CBK-immigration-to-close-at-the-end-of-July-56054087
5. “Evacuate Our Allies.” LinkedIn. Accessed February 13, 2025. https://www.linkedin.com/company/evacuateourallies/
6. Evacuate Our Allies. Accessed February 13, 2025. https://www.evacuateourallies.org/home
7. Nicholas, R. “Unionized Legal Workers to be Laid Off in Northampton Firm’s Closure.” The Shoestring. July 22, 2024. Accessed March 10, 2025. https://theshoestring.org/2024/07/22/unionized-legal-workers-to-be-laid-off-in-northampton-firms-closure/