Member, Flaherty Sensabaugh Bonasso PLLC
By Amanda Larch
When Mike Bonasso began law school at the West Virginia University (WVU) College of Law in 1975, it was like entering another world for him—unfamiliar yet amazing. While he did not have any lawyers to mentor him growing up, he graduated with Order of the Coif honors in 1978 and became a lawyer who now inspires others.
With an undergraduate degree in accounting, Bonasso, now a member of Flaherty Sensabaugh Bonasso PLLC, was originally interested in business and commercial law but began working in litigation at Kay, Casto & Chaney in 1978.
“You go where the work calls you,” he says. “Early in my career, the firm had a need for lawyers who could represent parties in disputes and lawsuits, so I gravitated to litigation—some personal injury cases, some commercial and business cases, some complex litigation cases—helping individuals and companies resolve disputes, whether by negotiation or by trial.”
During the first few years of his professional career, Bonasso developed an interest in the inner workings of law firms big and small.
“On one hand, I wanted to learn how to represent and serve clients well, and on the other, I wanted to learn how to apply business principles to the business of law,” he says. “The business of law attracted me: from the mundane billing and collection of fees; to the hiring, compensation, training and retaining of skilled lawyers; to providing sound legal representation effectively and efficiently; to managing the costs and expenses of a complex business organization.”
In 1991, Bonasso partnered with Tom Flaherty and Don Sensabaugh to start the firm, with Bonasso serving as managing member. After 27 years in this position, he recently stepped out of that role. During his time as the firm’s management committee chair, he was able to help it grow from seven to 70 lawyers in four offices across the state. The firm recently opened a fifth office in Lexington, KY.
“We were blessed to be successful and create jobs for hundreds of people over the decades,” he says. “By far, the best part of leading the firm was the people we have had at Flaherty over the years. Our lawyers and staff have consistently demonstrated our watchwords of competence, character and work ethic. However, I never asked others to work harder than I would. Part of leadership is showing others you do not ask them to do things you will not do.”
During his tenure as managing member, Bonasso also led the firm’s product liability group and was involved in mentoring future leaders in the firm.
“I attempted not only to teach those working on our teams but also to learn from them,” he says. “Our firm is blessed with talented staff and lawyers at all levels, and they all have something to teach me. Even today, when working with young lawyers on client matters, I try to demonstrate various ways to help clients solve their legal issues in a professional manner.”
Despite the awards and accolades bestowed upon Bonasso throughout his career, serving as the firm’s managing member has meant the most to him.
“I thank my partners for the confidence and support they have shown me in that role over the past three decades,” he says.
During the course of his career, Bonasso has served in leadership roles with the Defense Trial Counsel of West Virginia, Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel and USLAW NETWORK while also coaching for the Kanawha Valley Youth Soccer League and volunteering with Ambassadors of Compassion, a mentoring program at West Side Middle School.
Likewise, Flaherty Sensabaugh Bonasso has always prioritized the importance of giving back to the community. Each year the firm participates in programs that provide pro bono work and free legal advice to underprivileged community members and has teams that serve the YMCA, YWCA, Boys & Girls Club, Ronald McDonald House, The Salvation Army and Habitat for Humanity.
Growing up in North Central West Virginia, Bonasso did not always want to move to Charleston, where he and his wife still reside, but relocated for his first job in the 1970s and was surprised at how much he loved it.
“We found it to be a wonderful place to live and raise our family,” he says. “Three of our six children also live and work in the Kanawha Valley, finding it to be a great place for their own families.”
Bonasso’s family and family history mean a lot to him, as his maternal great-great-grandparents came to Greenbrier County from Ireland in the 1850s and his paternal grandfather immigrated to America from Italy at age 16.
“Uneducated but not unintelligent, unsophisticated but not afraid to work hard, my grandparents taught their children to work hard, be honest and be good at what they did,” he says.
Perhaps because of his familial roots, West Virginia and its people are a little more important and meaningful to Bonasso.
“People who are from West Virginia and people who move here know what a wonderful state it is,” he says. “Even with its problems—and everywhere has problems—the state is beautiful, the people are genuine, and it is still a great place to work and raise a family. I was blessed to be raised and educated here. WVU provided me many relationships and connections that have only deepened as I have grown older. As we see troubles and turmoil in so many parts of our country today, I am so thankful to live in a state that has given my family a wonderful place to live and grow but also a place that lives in relative peace and respect for our neighbors.”
While he has accomplished a lot in his personal and professional life, Bonasso still has a few things he would like to do, including traveling and continuing to give back to those in need.
“I want to continue to travel to Central and South America and Greece to work with the churches and mission groups that are doing so much good for the poorest of the poor,” he says. “I hope to expand my work with disaster relief teams to those who serve people in the U.S. when natural disasters strike. We have seen so many hurricanes, tornadoes, fires and floods in our country. There are service groups that are looking for volunteers to come and simply help clean up, dig out and rebuild. That is on my list.”
