Since 1975, the Gertler Law Firm has represented individuals and families in personal injury and wrongful death litigation across New Orleans and throughout Louisiana. From catastrophic crashes and unsafe premises to product defects, medical negligence, mesothelioma, and workplace injuries, our mission is simple: protect people, demand accountability, and secure the resources clients need to rebuild their lives.
We are trial lawyers. We investigate early, preserve critical evidence, and prepare every matter as if it will be tried because leverage at the courthouse often drives fair outcomes at the negotiating table.
Our Legacy: Judge David Gertler, Founder
The firm’s roots trace to Judge David Gertler, a respected New Orleans jurist who brought his courtroom perspective to private practice when he and his son M. H. “Mike” Gertler founded the firm in 1975. Judge Gertler’s integrity, preparation, and service still shape how we practice today.
Our history is more than a timeline; it’s a standard. Clients deserve counsel that is principled, relentless, and focused on results.
Who We Are: Our Attorneys
M. H. “Mike” Gertler | Managing Partner & Trial Lawyer
Co-founder and managing partner, Mike Gertler, has led complex personal injury, product liability, toxic exposure, and mass tort cases for decades. He helped steer firm leadership in landmark litigation, including the judgment requiring tobacco companies to fund a $241 million smoking cessation program for Louisiana citizens.
Focus areas: catastrophic injury & wrongful death; product liability & mass tort; complex litigation.
Recognition: selections and firm listings noted by Best Lawyers/Best Law Firms and other industry publishers.
Louis L. Gertler | Partner & Trial Lawyer
Louis Gertler represents clients in personal injury, product liability, medical malpractice, and class action/mass tort matters. He is known for hands-on case management and clear client communication.
Focus areas: major injury & wrongful death; medical negligence; consumer/medical device product cases.
Recognition: multiple-year Louisiana Super Lawyers selection; Best Lawyers® honors (including “Lawyer of the Year” Product Liability Litigation, New Orleans, 2022).
Josh Gertler | Attorney
Josh Gertler litigates personal injury, product liability, and medical negligence claims, including matters intersecting with industrial and maritime environments. Clients value his accessibility and business-minded approach to damages.
Focus areas: vehicle & premises cases; product/medical device claims; serious injury & wrongful death.
Leah R. Rhodes, Esq. | Personal Injury & Workers’ Compensation
Leah Rhodes brings 20 years of experience, is a Tulane Law graduate, and a former Fifth Circuit mediator. She began her career in admiralty law (Jones Act & LHWCA) and later represented employers, insurers, and TPAs before turning that insight to advocate for injured workers and families.
Focus areas: Louisiana workers’ compensation (medical and wage benefits, physician choice disputes, authorizations, AWW/benefit rate issues); serious personal injury; maritime adjacent injuries.
What We Handle
- Auto & Transportation Accidents: car, truck, motorcycle, pedestrian, rideshare, streetcar
- Catastrophic Injury Litigation: brain injury (TBI), wrongful death, birth injury
- Premises Liability & Negligence: slip/trip/fall, dog & animal bites, negligent security, other serious hazards
- Product Liability & Dangerous Substances: defective devices and drugs, pressure cooker failures, Roundup, asbestos/mesothelioma, implant recalls
- Workplace & Legal Needs After an Injury: construction accidents, workers’ compensation (with third-party claims where available)
We serve clients in New Orleans and throughout Louisiana, including Orleans, Jefferson, St. Bernard, and Plaquemines Parishes, and the communities of New Orleans, Metairie, Kenner, Gretna, Marrero, Chalmette, Belle Chasse, Avondale, and St. Rose.
Reputation, Honors & Results
- Best Law Firms®: (regional/metro listing): The firm has been listed in the “Best Law Firms in the New Orleans Metropolitan Area” for Personal Injury Litigation and Product Liability Litigation (inaugural 2010 edition noted in firm materials).
- Top 100 Trial Lawyers: Mike and Louis Gertler have been recognized among the Top 100 Trial Lawyers by The National Trial Lawyers.
- Super Lawyers®: Partners have been selected for inclusion in Louisiana Super Lawyers across multiple years.
- Landmark Tobacco Litigation: Leadership in the case that ordered a $241 million, 10-year smoking cessation program for Louisiana residents (appellate decision affirming liability and program funding).
Notice: Awards and past results reflect historical recognition and case-specific outcomes. They do not guarantee future results. Each matter is unique and evaluated on its facts and law.
How We Practice: Care, Communication & Courtroom Readiness
- Client first culture: Direct attorney access, plain English explanations, and realistic timelines.
- Early evidence preservation: Surveillance, scene data, vehicle modules, maintenance logs, medical records, and expert input secured before they vanish.
- Damages you can prove: Collaboration with medical specialists, life care planners, and economists to model future treatment and earning capacity.
- Accountability from every angle: We pursue all responsible parties: drivers, employers, property owners, manufacturers, contractors, and their insurers.
- Trial-ready files: We build for trial from day one; preparation drives better settlements and verdicts.
Where We Work
Cases frequently arise across Southeast Louisiana, I-10, I-610, Causeway, Westbank Expressway tourist corridors like the French Quarter, Canal Street, and the CBD, high traffic venues and retail centers including Caesars Superdome, Smoothie King Center, Lakeside Shopping Center, Riverwalk, and Oakwood Center, as well as shipyards, refineries, plants, and construction sites. (These examples reflect regional context; they are not accusations against any business.)
Talk With Our Team
If you or a loved one has been injured in New Orleans or anywhere in Louisiana, we’re here to help. Call (504) 581-6411 or 1-877-581-6411 or reach out through our contact form to discuss your situation with our attorneys.