James Harold Laughlin Jr.

James ‘Jim’ Harold Laughlin, Jr., who had earned a national reputation for skillful intellectual property trial work, died January 26, 2016 after more than a decade battling the complications of the disease amyloidosis. After receiving a heart and liver transplant at the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore, he lived 8 more wonderful years.

Mr. Laughlin was born July 18, 1941 the son of the late James Harold and Pearl Ruby Laughlin of Charleston, West Virginia. As a Boy Scout, he earned the Eagle Scout Rank and served as Program Director for the Buckskin Council Summer Camp when Dilly’s Mill first opened in West Virginia.

Among numerous collegiate activities Mr. Laughlin was President of Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity when the chapter acquired an historical American La France fire truck built in 1929 which was then restored to mint condition by the fraternity brothers and alumni of the chapter. That vehicle is presently being refurbished again 50 years later as part of the West Virginia University program focusing on Greek Traditions.

After graduating with a BS in Chemical Engineering from West Virginia University in 1964 and a Juris Doctorate from American University in Washington, DC in 1968, Mr. Laughlin joined the DC and VA Bars and moved to Stamford, Connecticut, where he was an attorney for American Cyanamid Company working on the tetracycline litigation.

In 1971 Mr. Laughlin moved to Rochester, NY, as an attorney for Xerox. Then in 1977 he returned to the Washington DC area and entered into private practice as a partner in Benoit, Smith, and Laughlin located in Arlington, VA. He built a strong practice representing Hughes Aircraft Company, Owens Illinois, Monsanto, and Texaco among others. In 1993 the firm merged their practice into the NY firm of Lane & Mittendorf.

Through mergers and moving, Mr. Laughlin passed through several firms retiring from Holland and Knight in 2010. He was most proud of his work on plasma display litigation, methyl butyl tertiary ether (MBTE) litigation, and dish television litigation as well as a long list of appellate cases heard by the Federal Circuit.

Mr. Laughlin was active in several Bar organizations and other related associations. He was a long term representative of the VA State Bar and American Intellectual Law Association to the National Council Intellectual Property Associations. He was President of the National Inventors Hall of Fame when ground was broken for a 40 million dollar project in Akron, Ohio.

An active member of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Arlington, VA, when Senior Warden, Mr. Laughlin was able to complete a long needed access to the church’s Memorial Garden.

As a long term Mason, Mr. Laughlin is a Past Master of Potomac Lodge #5 in Georgetown, Washington, DC. He was honored to receive his 50 year pin in 2014.

Mr. Laughlin is survived by his devoted wife of 47 years Eleanor Blackford Watson ll of Fairmont, WV. Other survivors who were the joy of his life are his 3 daughters all of Arlington VA: Catherine Michelle who married Christopher Ricker Wilkes, Jeanette Claire who married Thomas Zoltan Molnar, and Cheryl Adele Laughlin and her significant other Ricky Charles Bynaker. He is also survived by his 6 grandchildren who were the delight of his life: Thomas ‘Zoli’ Zoltan Molnar, Jr., Hayley Laughlin Molnar, Caroline Adele Wilkes, Christopher ‘Ricker’ Wilkes, Jr., Charlotte Dale Wilkes and Chase Watson Wilkes.

Other survivors include his brother David Johnson Laughlin of Charleston, WV, his nieces Kimberly and Taylor Laughlin, his cousin Brooks Jones of Buckannon, WV, and his aunts Alice Laughlin White of Belpre, Ohio and Nancy Laughlin East of Harrisonburg, VA., plus many nieces and nephews.

The family will receive visitors on Thursday, February 4 between 6 and 9 pm at Murphy Falls Church Funeral Home, 1102 West Broad Street, with a Masonic Service at 8:00pm. Funeral Services will be held at 11am, Friday, February 5 at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, 4250 North Glebe Road, Arlington, Virginia.