Erica L. Laughlin Takes Over as President of Allegheny County Bar Association on July 1, 2022

We are pleased to announce that shareholder Erica L. Laughlin takes over as President of the Allegheny County Bar Association effective July 1, 2022 – 2023.

Read the press release from the Allegheny County Bar Association below.

Pittsburgh-area litigator Erica L. Laughlin will officially become the 114th President of the Allegheny County Bar Association – and the 9th woman to hold the position – on Friday, July 1. Her one-year term will end on June 30, 2023.

I have been an active member of the Pittsburgh Legal Community throughout my career, so I am keenly aware of how important the Allegheny County Bar Association is to Pittsburgh-area lawyers, judges and the community overall,” Laughlin said. “The ACBA has helped to shape my career and the careers of so many others. To now be in a position to lead the ACBA as its President is an honor and a privilege that I will not take lightly.”

Laughlin is a shareholder at Strassburger McKenna Gutnick & Gefsky, a downtown Pittsburgh-based law firm. She was elected President-Elect of the more than 5,000-member ACBA in 2021 and served in that capacity for the past year. Laughlin will replace Joseph R. Williams, who completes his term on June 30.

“The ACBA and the community at large should expect big things from Erica’s presidency,” Williams said. “She has been supremely involved in many of the association’s functions during her career and is known for being a committed and innovative leader. I am proud to have Erica as my successor and will be proud to call her my President for the next year.”

Laughlin said that restoring the community’s faith in the legal system is among her top goals as President.

“One of the ways to do this is through community engagement, outreach and education,” she said. “We plan to form a Community Service Committee that will be dedicated to developing and increasing community service opportunities for our members. Specifically, we will create ways Pittsburgh lawyers can make a genuine, positive impact in the community.”

Another of Laughlin’s primary goals is to bring members together for in-person networking and professional development as the ACBA and society continue to navigate the pandemic and post-pandemic landscapes.

“Engaging and re-engaging with one another is vital to our success as an organization,” she said.

Additionally, Laughlin hopes to further the association’s mission of increasing diversity within the legal profession, and she aims to begin implementing the ACBA’s recently-adopted strategic plan that includes increasing membership, enhancing members’ experiences and developing marketing and branding initiatives.

About Erica L. Laughlin

Laughlin is a native of North Huntingdon, Pa., and is currently a resident of Pine Twp. in northern Allegheny County.

She graduated from Norwin High School and Duquesne University, where she earned bachelor’s degrees in journalism and psychology in 2001. She then attended the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, earning her juris doctorate in 2004. While at Pitt Law, she earned the John P. Gismondi Civil Litigation Certificate and the Institute for Computer Assisted Legal Instruction Award for achieving the highest possible grade in trial advocacy.

After Law School, Laughlin joined Strassburger McKenna Gutnick & Gefsky in 2004, became a Director in 2012 and advanced to her current role of Shareholder in 2017. Her practice focusses primarily on civil litigation in both state and federal courts. She represents individuals and businesses in employment, personal injury, premises liability, professional malpractice, insurance defense, civil rights defense, construction and municipal matters. Laughlin also is the Co-Chair of the firm’s Business Development and Marketing Committee.

Laughlin has been involved in numerous facets of the ACBA throughout her legal career, including the ACBA Board of Governors, council for the Civil Litigation Section, Finance Committee, Gender Equality Committee and Nominating Committee. She also has served on council and as Chair of the Women in the Law Division, and she has chaired the ACBA Bench-Bar Conference, among other roles with the association.

She’s also a member of the American Bar Association, the Pennsylvania Bar Association and the Westmoreland County Bar Association. Laughlin was listed as “Rising Star” in the Pennsylvania Super Lawyers publication every year from 2013 to 2019, and she was identified as a “Lawyer on the Fast Track” by the Legal Intelligencer in 2016. She’s also been named a “Super Lawyer” in 2022 and maintains an Avvo “Preeminent Rating.”

Outside of the legal profession, Laughlin is a member of the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust Corporate Circles Board, the Steel City Impact Board and the Pittsburgh Community Broadcasting Advisory Council. An avid runner, Laughlin has completed over 20 half-marathons, and she’s also passionate about the arts and loves to travel. She most enjoys spending time with her husband, Nick, and their young daughters, Ella and Tessa.

Additional New Officers: In addition to Laughlin serving as President, the Allegheny County Bar Association also announced the following officers for 2022-23: Marla Presley will serve as President-Elect; Regina Wilson will serve as Secretary; and Keri Ebeck will serve as Treasurer.

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