J. Channing Migner

March 4, 1950 - December 1, 2021

J. Channing Migner, 71, passed away on December 1, 2021 at The Vicarage by the Sea, Harpswell, Maine. The son of the late Marie and John Migner, Channing grew up in Old Orchard Beach, Maine. He received his B.A. in Mathematics from the University of Maine, Orono in 1973. Channing began his career in workers’ compensation working for an insurance company in Portland, Maine and later in Boston, Massachusetts. Channing quickly realized he would rather represent the injured worker than the insurance industry, and so he started attending law school at night to fulfill this desire. He passed the bar in 1985 after obtaining his J.D. from Suffolk University Law School. Channing dedicated his legal career to representing and supporting injured workers in the fields of Workers’ Compensation, Social Security Disability, and Personal Injury Law. He began his career at Ravech, Aronson, & Shuman, working his way quickly from Associate to Partner. He then founded Cline & Migner together with Cheryl Cline in 1995. Channing established his own practice (Law Office of Channing Migner, P.C.) in 2006. Over the course of his career, he was involved in several high profile cases, including a ground-breaking second-hand smoking workers’ compensation case. Channing worked tirelessly for his clients, and was well-respected in his field. He enjoyed meeting clients at their homes when appropriate in order to better understand the whole person. He was a member of the Massachusetts Bar Association Workplace Safety Task Force Chronic Pain Subcommittee, and worked to help develop resources for injured workers with chronic pain diagnoses access non-opioid treatment options. He also served on the Board of Concord Prison Outreach, Inc and was a facilitator with the Alternatives to Violence Project, an organization devoted to promoting non-violence among inmates to help with a successful re-entry into society. Channing later became passionate about climate change issues and volunteered with 350 Massachusetts - Better Future Project, a statewide movement to address climate change. His dedication to helping others through his advocacy was equally balanced by his love of family. Channing enjoyed spending time with his family, hiking, and traveling. He had a huge heart and a great sense of humor; he was well loved and he loved well. He is survived by his devoted wife, Andy Migner, in Devens, MA, sister Sally Springstead in Salem, OR, brother Peter Migner in Deland, FL, son Jeremy and partner Beth in Asheville, NC, son Chris in Charlotte, NC, son Taylor and wife Jennifer in Northbridge, MA, daughter Julia in Vancouver, BC, and grandchildren Salvadora, Lucille, and Ryder. He also leaves behind many beloved extended family members including 17 nieces and nephews. Special thanks to the caring and devoted staff of The Vicarage by the Sea who took excellent care of Channing at the end of his journey with dementia. A celebration of Channing’s life will take place at the United Church of Christ in Boxborough, MA on January 15th, 2022 at 11 a.m. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to: EarthJustice at https://earthjustice.org/give/donate-today (because the earth needs a good lawyer). EarthJustice is the premier nonprofit public interest environmental law organization. “We wield the power of law and the strength of partnership to protect people’s health, to preserve magnificent places and wildlife, to advance clean energy, and to combat climate change.”