Page 26 - JulyAugust24 Report

MEMORIALS
Memorials honor the lives of deceased members of the local Bar. For more information, contact Lisa Quintanilla at (513) 699-1391 or lquintanilla@cincybar.org.
Robert (“Bob”) Laufman
1931 – 2024
Robert (“Bob”) Laufman passed away peacefully at the age of 92 with his wife, Kathy, by his side.
Bob grew up in small-town New England where he excelled both athlet- ically and academically. Bob was driven by a desire to always improve himself; a trait that served him well throughout his life. Bob’s aptitude and effort earned him admission to the United States Naval Academy, where he graduated from Annapolis in
1953 with a degree in Engineering.
Following military service, Bob spent several years in the
business world where, among other endeavors, he designed jet engines for General Electric and made soap for Proctor & Gamble. Never one to sit still, Bob began attending law school at night and obtained his law degree from the Salmon P. Chase College of Law in 1961.
But the world was changing, and Bob was not content to sit by and watch. In 1971 he made the radical decision to leave the corporate world and became an attorney with the Legal Aid Society of Cincinnati where he became involved in civil rights and housing discrimination litigation.
Bob left Legal Aid in 1973 to enter private practice where he was a pioneer in the federal litigation of civil rights issues. Bob subsequently spent 30 years fighting for civil rights on behalf of those in our community who were vulnerable, discriminated against, or powerless against the powerful. He litigated over 300 civil rights lawsuits in employment discrimination, school deseg- regation, fair housing, police misconduct, prison reform, and constitutional law. Bob’s practice was strengthened and supported by all his wonderful partners over the years: Maggie Quinn, Trudy Rauh, Al Gerhardstein, Jennifer Branch, Paul Laufman and, of course, his long-time office manager and confidant, Mary Armor.
His storied career had numerous highlights. In 1976 he and his wife, Kathy, were the plaintiffs in a landmark redlining mortgage lawsuit under the Fair Housing Act when they were denied a loan
to purchase a home in North Avondale, a neighborhood deemed “unstable” at the time. Laufman v. Oakley Building & Loan, 408 F.Supp. 489 (S.D. Ohio 1976). The case resulted in a consent decree which outlawed redlining across the Cincinnati real estate market. Bob also had the honor of arguing an age discrimination case before the Supreme Court of the United States in Ohio Public Employees System v. Betts, 492.U.S. 158 (1989) and was subse- quently called to testify before congressional hearings related to the Older Workers Benefit Protection Act.
Bob’s expertise made him a sought-after educator and speaker. He served as a consultant to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and spent years travelling the country serving as faculty for Fair Housing-Fair Lending Seminars sponsored by HUD. He presented numerous continuing legal education seminars and was an instructor with the National Trial Advocacy Institute.
Bob’s commitment to his ideals extended beyond the court- room and he held many leadership positions. He served as President of Legal Aid from 1978 until 1982 and served as a member of its Board for decades thereafter. He was one of the co-founders of Volunteer Lawyers for the Poor and sat on its board from 1982 until his retirement. He also served as the Chair of the Cincinnati Bar Association’s Civil Rights Committee and was a member of the CBA’s Grievance Committee from 1989 until his retirement. Among his many awards and acknowledgements, the Potter Stewart Inn of Court honored Bob with the Andrew Dennison Courageous Advocate Award presented to an attorney who “upholds the professional obligation to represent the poor, the unpopular or the friendless.”
Bob is survived by his wife Kathy; his children, Lauralynn Mohr, Richard Laufman, and Paul Laufman (Kira); and his grandchildren, Nicolas Mohr, Deysi Mohr, Luke Laufman, and Cooper Laufman.
— Paul M. Laufman
26 THE REPORT | July/August 2024 | CincyBar.org