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The firm of Laughlin, Falbo, Levy & Moresi LLP announced the passing of the founding partner, Michael William Laughlin. He was surrounded by his loving family when he passed away on Saturday June 17.

In addition to being a pillar of the legal community, his colleagues say Mike will forever be remembered with the highest regard as a family man, friend, partner, mentor, coach and competitor to many people. He will be greatly missed every day.

A funeral mass will be held on Friday, June 23 at 12:30 p.m. at St. Isabella’s Church (One Trinity Way, San Rafael, CA 94903), after which there will be a celebration of life to be held at Stonetree Golf Club (9 Stonetree Ln, Novato, CA 94945) from 2-6 p.m.

The family has suggested that in lieu of flowers, please consider donations to the Timothy Murphy School in San Rafael.

Mr. Laughlin obtained his undergraduate degree in 1960 from the University of Notre Dame and was a 1963 graduate of the Indiana University School of Law. He has been a member of the California Bar since 1965.

Julius Young provided more information on the WorkersCompZone website.

He tells us that Mike retired a few years ago, but was one of the leading California workers’ comp defense attorneys for decades. Earlier in his career he practiced in San Francisco with the firm Sedgwick, Detert, Moran and Arnold.

Around 1985 he and and a number of his partners left and formed Laughlin, Falbo, Levy and Moresi. Over the years they grew the Laughlin firm to where it now has 160 attorneys and a statewide presence.

Sedgwick, Detert and the Laughlin firm firm became sort of a farm team for leaders in the industry, as former WCAB Commissioners Gordon Taylor and Alfonso Moresi practiced with Mike. Current WCAB Commissioner Jose Razo later joined that firm before his appointment to the board.

Boxer & Gerson LLP law partner Michael Gerson summed up Mike Laughlin this way:

“He was a pleasure to work with and a true gentleman. He was a resolver and not a churner. He was compassionate and concerned with our clients.”

His passing is a reminder that some of the most effective attorney advocates are not always the ones with a blustery, take-no-prisoners approach.