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Everything about Mike Laughlin felt so Irish and Catholic. He was educated at Notre Dame University. He faithfully attended mass several times a week. He married a woman named Miriam McCracken and had four children. Even just their names say Irish.

Plus Mike had an irrepressible Irish-style wit. And he loved his family. In spite of his tremendous ambition and career success, he always put his offspring first. He was without a doubt, a serious family man.

Michael William Laughlin was one of the founding partners of the workers’ compensation defense firm: Laughlin, Falbo, Levi and Moresi, which was established in 1985 in San Francisco, California. Mike died on Saturday, June 17, at around the Noon hour. He had suffered a major stroke earlier in the week. He was 78 years old.

Born on September 5, 1938 in Wilmington, Delaware, Mike was raised in South Bend, Indiana, the home of Notre Dame University and the “Fighting Irish”. His father died during Mike’s youth, and his mother raised him as she worked as a librarian for Notre Dame. Thus, naturally, Mike went to the University of Notre Dame and on an academic scholarship where he obtained his undergraduate degree. He then attended law school at the University of Indiana.

Mike got licensed to practice law in 1963 in Indiana and then moved to California and passed the bar exam in 1965. He lived in San Francisco on Union Street. He worked for the law firm of Sedgwick, Detert, Moran, and Arnold that dated back to the 1930s.  As that firm expanded into other areas of litigation, the partners Michael Laughlin, Gerald Falbo, Roger Levy and Al Moresi struck out on their own forming Laughlin, Falbo, Levi & Moresi (LFLM) there in San Francisco. They began in 1985 with 14 attorneys.  Today LFLM has over 160 attorneys in 11 offices in San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose, Sacramento, Fresno, Pasadena, Santa Monica, Anaheim, Redding, San Bernardino, and San Diego.

The workers’ compensation manager of the Disneyland Resort, John Riggs, based in Anaheim, California wrote to this writer on Sunday, June 18^th, with the subject line: “Sad News!” John wrote:

“Mike Laughlin touched many, many people in the workers’ compensation community over his long and successful career.  Years ago, both my wife Robbie, who was an examiner, and I were clients of LFLM at a number of companies in the San Francisco area.  Mike had a truly gentle way about himself and always treated us with respect and provided excellent representation in the cases referred to him.  We both have fond memories and are saddened at the news of his passing.”

John V. Geyer, the firm managing partner of LFLM wrote on Saturday, June 17^th, just hours after Mike’s death:

“He was a great lawyer.  He was a great businessman.  But he was much more than that—Mike Laughlin was a wonderful person.  He had a terrific sense of humor and was always compassionate.  He was a giant in our industry, but had an innate ability to make everyone around him feel comfortable.  He will be missed beyond words.” 

Mike Laughlin was a member of the Board of Directors for the Timothy Murphy School in San Rafael, California. Timothy Murphy School is a Special Education, private facility, especially for children who struggle with profound emotional disturbances and behavioral challenges. Mike’s family requests that in lieu of flowers, any donations be made to:

Timothy Murphy School
1 St. Vincents Drive
San Rafael, CA 94903
415 499-7616 phone

Mike was an avid golfer and a member of the Marin Country Club. He often took trips with friends to Lake Tahoe, Palm Springs, and Arizona to play golf and engage in friendly games of dice. He liked word games and engaging in legal and philosophical arguments. He was known to extend a helping hand and exude his compassion for others.

Services for Michael William Laughlin are as follows:

• There will be a rosary on Thursday, June 22^nd 2017 at 7 pm at St. Isabella’s Church, One Trinity Way, San Rafael, CA 94903.
•  A funeral mass will be held on Friday, June 23^rd 2017 at 12:30 pm at St. Isabella’s after which there will be a celebration of life to be held at:
• Stonetree Golf Club, 9 Stonetree Lane, Novato, CA 94945, from 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm.

Mike is survived by daughters Erin Devincenzi, Kathleen Archer, Megan Young, Jill Souza and by his son Joseph Laughlin.  Mike’s first wife, Miriam McCracken, died in 1976 and his second wife, Jeanne Pearson, whom he married in 1992, predeceased him in 2008.

Marc Leibowitz, a Partner in LFLM in the San Diego office, wrote on Monday, June 19^th:

“Mike Laughlin was a mentor and friend to many of us in the workers’ compensation community.  We have all suffered a great loss with his passing.”

On the LFLM website, an appropriate Irish ode has been published at the end of the firm’s announcement about Mike’s departure.   It’s appropriate to republish here:

Oh, here’s to other meetings,
And merry greetings then;
And here’s to those we’ve drunk with,
But never can again.
Leaving indelible imprints
I know for certain that we never lose the people we love, even to death.
They continue to participate in every act, thought and decision we make.
Their love leaves an indelible imprint in our memories.
We find comfort in knowing that our lives have been enriched by having shared their love.  

lonce@adjustercom.com, Lonce LaMon, journalist; copyright by Lonce LaMon and adjustercom, all rights reserved

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