News and Events
LFLM 2011 Holiday Toy Drives - Huge Success
Laughlin, Falbo, Levy & Moresi LLP was proud to host their annual Toy Drives at holiday parties throughout the state and very please to announce the huge success of each. The Bay Area event, held on December 1, supported the U.S. Marines Toys-For-Tots and brought in over 400 toys. The Sacramento event, hosted on December 2, also supported the U.S. Marines Toys-For-Tots program and filled six barrels with toys. The Southern California event on December 8 supported Orangewood Children's Foundation and collected just over 170 toys for the children serviced by that organization. Lauglin, Falbo, Levy & Moresi LLP recognizes and appreciates everyone who contributed this holiday season.
Michael Laughlin, LFLM Founder, To Assume New Responsibilites
After more than 46 years in the Workers' Compensation field, Michael W. Laughlin, a founding member of Laughlin, Falbo, Levy & Moresi LLP, will be stepping down from everyday practice and moving into the role of consultant/advisor. Mr. Laughlin will be truly missed by all those associated with the Workers' Compensation arena. His extensive knowledge and professional demeanor always advanced the best interests of his clients. Mr. Laughlin embraced his clients as friends and treated everyone in the industry with the same level of courtesy and grace.
Although Mike is stepping down from the everyday practice of Workers' Compensation law, we are pleased to announce that he has agreed to lead an important new program which we refer to as our "Strategic Closure Initiative" (SCI). We recognize our clients' need to close open files, particularly those that are older and more complex. To respond to this need, the firm will be identifying these primarily older cases and have asked Mike to provide the handling attorney a fresh perspective on facilitating resolution. Mr. Laughlin's extensive experience in handling complex and difficult files during his active career makes him uniquely qualified to provide insight and creativity in obtaining final closure of these matters.
If you have any cases that you feel would qualify for this unique program or might benefit from a review by one of the true scholars in the Workers' Compensation field, you can contact Mike via e-mail at mlaughlin@lflm.com or James Pettibone at (415) 781-6676 or jpettibone@lflm.com.
Jeffrey Lowe Makes Partner at Laughlin; 3 Attorneys Hired
January 2011
Laughlin, Falbo, Levy & Moresi announced Wednesday that Jeffrey E. Lowe in its San Francisco office has accepted the position of partner with the law firm.
The firm also announced the hiring of three new attorneys.
Lowe is a Southern California native who relocated to the Bay Area in 2004, while serving as a managing attorney for a statewide defense firm. As an attorney with more than 20 years experience, he joined Laughlin, Falbo, Levy & Moresi in 2008.
Lowe's primary practice areas are workers' compensation defense and subrogation. He is a member of the Defense Research Institute's (DRI) Product Liability and Workers' Compensation Committee.
In addition to Lowe's promotion, the firm announced the hiring of new attorneys in its Sacramento, Pasadena and Santa Monica offices. The firm has 11 offices in California.
Craig E. Morrison joined the firm as an associate in its Sacramento office. Morrison has practiced workers' compensation for 11 years and is a certified specialist. Previously, he was also a managing partner of a statewide workers' compensation firm. Morrison represents both self-insured as well as insured employers on all issues concerning workers' compensation, including petitions for discrimination under Labor Code 132(a) and serious and willful claims. Morrison worked as a claims adjuster for six years before attending law school. He is an avid skier and was an alpine race for 10 years.
Stephen Nakata has joined the firm as an associate in its Pasadena office. Nakata received his undergraduate degree from the University of California, Los Angeles in 1989 and his law degree from the University of San Francisco in 1992. He is admitted to practice in all federal district courts in California and in the 9th Circuit. In addition to California workers' compensation, Nakata practices longshore, labor/employment and subrogation defense for employers and carriers. He also practices wage-and-hour defense. Nakata is a diehard UCLA Bruins fan and avid golfer.
Jacqueline Clemett joined the firm as an associate in its Santa Monica office. Clemett is a certified specialist with 12 years experience as a workers' compensation defense attorney, representing self-insured as well as insured employers on all issues, including public entity practice. Her prior experience includes working for one of the largest multi-line insurance companies in the world, providing legal advice and training adjusters in the law and litigation management.
Clemett enjoys traveling and has studied abroad in Paris and Austria. She is fluent in Spanish, and has a conversational knowledge of many romance languages.
Congratulations for Passing Workers' Compensation Specialist Exam!
January 2010
LFLM is please to announce the following attorneys have passed the Workers' Compensation Specialist Exam and are awaiting certification from the Board of Legal Specialization:
Brian Egan (SF); Lucy Greenway (Oak); Susan Hastings (Oak); Matthew Hurlimann (SD); G. Charles Robertson (SD); Diane Williamson (Oak)
No Saving Grace to COLA Bubble-Over Case from 6th District
December 14, 2009
We were swallowed up by an unhealthy overdose of denial in the concluding remarks to our e-blast on the first case interpreting the COLA statute, section 4659(c), Duncan v. WCAB (XYZZX SJO2), out of the 6th Appellate District in San Jose (no. H034040). Cold, wintry reality has set in and tells us that there appears to be no grace, saving or otherwise, in the statute to allow for caps on COLAs.
Mileage Rate for Medical and Medical-Legal Travel Expenses Will Decrease January 1, 2010
DWC Newsline
Newsline No. 61-09
December 14, 2009
The mileage rate for medical and medical-legal travel expenses will be decreased to 50 cents per mile effective Jan. 1, 2010. This rate must be paid to travel on or after Jan. 1, 2010 regardless of the date of injury.
Labor Code section 4600, in conjunction with Government Code section 19820 and the Department of Personnel Administration regulations, establishes the rate payable for mileage reimbursement for medical and medical-legal expenses and ties it to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) published mileage reimbursement rate.
The mileage rates for 2010 reflect slightly lower transportation costs compared to a year ago. The updated mileage reimbursement form is posted on the DWC Web site at http://www.dir.ca.gov/dwc/forms.html.
Court Of Appeal Causes COLA Bubble-Over for the Holidays
December 2, 2009
The Sixth Distrrict Court of Appeals has been kind enough to construct a major bump in the road for defendants with regard to cost-of-living adjustment calculations in life pension and permanent total disability cases for injuries after 1/1/03.
Court Of Appeal Limits Employer's Liability In Compensable Consequence Case To Reasonable Geographic Area
October 14, 2009
The Court of Appeal has limited employer's compensability liability to a reasonable geographic area in the matter of Esquivel v. WCAB et al.
Michael W. Laughlin Receives Lifetime Achievement Award
Congratulations to Michael Laughlin!
The Executive Committee of the California State Bar's Workers' Compensation Section has awarded Michael W. Laughlin the 2009 Steve Jimenez Special Recognition Award for Lifetime Achievement.
This annual award recognizes outstanding attorneys and judges who have made significant lifetime contributions to the workers' compensation community. This state-wide recognition of professionalism and substantial influence is a well deserved honor for Michael Laughlin, who has been practicing California workers' compensation defense since 1965.
Mr. Laughlin is a founding member of Laughlin, Falbo, Levy & Moresi LLP (est. 1985). Our firm has an overwhelming appreciation and respect for all he has done and is especially proud he is receiving this award.
The award reception will take place on Friday, September 11, 2009 in San Diego.
Roger Levy Nominated for LexisNexis Workers' Compensation Notable People for 2008
Congratulations Roger Levy! Mr. Levy is recognized as "The Visionary".
Roger Levy has been listed by LexisNexis as one of its Workers' Compensation Notable People for 2008. The LexisNexis list is created by soliciting nominations from national and state organizations and experts throughout the Workers' Compensation field.
Complete list of Workers' Compensation Notable People for 2008
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