Martha Young Curtis

Martha Young Curtis is a member (partner) of Sher Garner Cahill Richter Klein & Hilbert, L.L.C.  Ms. Curtis was one of the founding members of Sher Garner law firm when it opened its doors in January, 1999.  It has since grown into one of the top New Orleans law firms with over 40 attorneys and more than 80 employees.  She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree, summa cum laude, from Vanderbilt University and her Juris doctorate, summa cum laude, from Tulane Law School where she served as Senior Managing Editor of the Tulane Law Review. In her legal career, Ms. Curtis has represented insurers, for-profit businesses, and non-profits in commercial litigation.  Before beginning private practice, Ms. Curtis clerked for Honorable W. Eugene Davis on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit from 1990 to 1991.  Ms. Curtis was appointed by the Louisiana Supreme Court to serve as an assistant Bar Examiner from 1997 to 2000.  She also served as an appointee of the Louisiana Supreme Court on the Louisiana State Bar Association’s Committee on Uniform Judicial Rules Committee.

Ms. Curtis has been involved in numerous other community and legal organizations, including the following: Tulane Law Review, Board of Advisory Editors; Tulane Alumni Association, Board of Directors; Louisiana Bar Foundation, Fellow; Association for Women Attorneys; and Federal Bar Association.  She has received numerous recognitions including: 2015 Louisiana Super Lawyers (Insurance Coverage), 2013 Women of the Year Honoree from New Orleans CityBusiness, “Local Litigation Star” in Louisiana recognition by Benchmark Litigation Guide to America’s Leading Litigation Firms & Attorneys (2012); New Orleans City Business’s 2010 Leadership in Law Award; New Orleans Magazine’s recognition as one of the Top Lawyers in New Orleans (2009); Martindale-Hubbell A-V rated since 1999; Rittenberg-Weinstein Award, Tulane Law Review (1990); and Harry S. Truman Scholar from Louisiana (1985).  Ms. Curtis also has authored several scholarly articles and has been a faculty member on numerous Continuing Legal Education panels for both the legal profession and the judiciary.

Since the BP Oil Spill from the Deepwater Horizon in August 2010, Ms. Curtis has been actively representing affected claimants, including for-profit and non-profit entities and individuals asserting business economic loss and property damage claims.  

Ms. Curtis has extensive appellate advocacy experience, having argued before the United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, the Louisiana Supreme Court, and numerous appellate courts in Louisiana and Texas.  She also has significant trial experience, serving as first chair for jury trials taken to verdict and bench trials taken to judgment.

Representative Cases

• In re Deepwater Horizon, 579 Fed.Appx. 256 (5th Cir. 2014)
• Carmen Group Inc. v. Xavier University of Louisiana, 2014 WL 3015228 (App. D.C. Cir 2014)
• Brooks v. Zulu Social Aid and Pleasure Club, Inc., 110 So.3d 703 (La. App. 4th Cir. 2013)
• Rain CII Carbon, LLC v. Kurczy, 2012 WL 3577534 (E.D. La. 2012)
• Jefferson Door Co., Inc. v. Cragmar Const., L.L.C., 81 So.3d 1001 (La. App. 4th Cir. 2012)
• Spence v. Cassano, 2011 WL 5419710 (La. App. 1st Cir. 2011)
• Bisso Marine Co., Inc. v. Marine Response Consultants, Inc., 2011 WL 4381576 (E.D. La. 2011)
• Koch v. Lamulle Const., L.L.C., 2009 WL 1270440 (La. App. 1st Cir. 2009)
• Khalil v. Ebrahim, 2008 WL 8921976 (La. App. 4th Cir. 2008)
• Nassar v. Academy Sports and Outdoors, 227 Fed.Appx. 392 (Miss. 2007)
• Touro Infirmary v. Sizeler Architects, 948 So.2d 261 (La.App. 4 Cir. 2006)
• Touro Infirmary v. Sizeler Architects, 947 So.2d 740 (La.App. 4 Cir. 2006)
• Fergusson v. Allstate Property and Cas. Ins. Co., Not reported in F. Supp. 2d. (S.D. Miss. 2006)
• Touro Infirmary v. Sizeler Architects, 900 So.2d 200 (La.App. 4 Cir. 2005)
• Exposition Partner, L.L.P. v. King, LeBlanc & Bland L.L.P., 869 So.2d 934 (La.App. 4 Cir. 2004)
• Ackel v. Academy Louisiana Co., 821 So.2d 109 (La.App. 5 Cir. 2002)
• Estate of Patout v. City of New Iberia, 813 So.2d 1248 (La.App. 3 Cir. 2002)
• Squirrel Run Inv. Group, Inc. v. City of New Iberia, 813 So.2d 1253 (La.App. 3 Cir. 2002)
• Brown v. Manhattan Life Ins. Co., 791 So.2d 74 (La. 2001)
• Squirrel Run Investment Group, Inc. City of New Iberia, 791 So.2d 748 (La.App. 3 Cir. 2001)
• Estate of Patout v. City of New Iberia, 791 So.2d 741 (La.App. 3 Cir. 2001)
• Smith Barney, Inc. v. Henry, 775 So.2d 722 (Miss. 2001)
• Coalition for Good Government v. Louisiana Dept. of Environmental Quality, 772 So.2d 715 (La.App. 1 Cir. 2000)
• M.K.L. Dev., L.L.C. v. City of New Orleans, 772 So.2d 711 (La. App.4 Cir. 2000)
• Specialty Food Systems, Inc. v. Reliance Ins. Co. of Illinois, 45 F Supp.2d 541 (E.D. La. 1999)
• Walls v. American Optical Corp., 740 So.2d 1262 (La. Sup. Ct. 1999)
• Estate of Patout v. City of New Iberia, 738 So.2d 544 (La. Sup. Ct. 1999)
• Adams v. J.E. Merit Constr., Inc., 712 So.2d 88 (La. Sup. Ct. 1998)
• TGX Corp. v. Simmons, 62 F.3d 666 (U.S. 5th Cir. 1995)
• Young v. Bichan Partnership, 709 So.2d 794 (La. App. 5 Cir. 1997)
• Jones v. Hyatt Corp., 681 So.2d 381 (La. App. 4 Cir. 1995)
• Henning Constr. v. First E. Bank & Trust, 635 So.2d 273 (La. App. 4 Cir. 1994)
• United States v. 83 Rolex Watches, 992 F.2d 508 (U.S. 5th Cir. 1993)
• Cole v. Celotex Corp., 599 So.2d 1086 (La. Sup. Ct. 1992)

Areas of Practice

• Bad Faith Insurance
• BP Oil Spill Claims
• Business & Commercial Law
• Insurance Defense
• Insurance Law
• Litigation & Appeals

Bar Admissions

• Louisiana, 1990
• U.S. Court of Appeals 5th Circuit, 1991
• Texas, 2000
• U.S. District Court Western District of Louisiana, 1991
• U.S. District Court Middle District of Louisiana, 1991
• U.S. District Court Eastern District of Louisiana, 1991
• U.S. District Court Northern District of Texas, 1992
• U.S. District Court Southern District of Texas, 1992
• U.S. District Court Eastern District of Texas, 1992
• U.S. District Court Western District of Texas, 1993
• U.S. District Court Northern District of Mississippi, 1997
• U.S. Supreme Court, 2003
• U.S. Court of Federal Claims, 2006

Education

• Tulane Law School, New Orleans, Louisiana
• J.D. (Summa Cum Laude) - 1990
• Honors: Order of the Coif
• Honors: John Minor Wisdom Award
• Law Review: Tulane Law Review, 1988 - 1990
• Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN
• B.A. (Summa Cum Laude) - 1987
• Honors: History Honors
• Honors: Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society
• Major: English
• Major: History

Honors and Awards

• Best Lawyers in America since 2015, with special designations in Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs, 2013 - 2015
• Louisiana Super Lawyers, Insurance Coverage, 2015 - Present
• Local Litigation Star – Plaintiffs in commercial, insurance and tort litigation, Benchmark Plaintiff Litigation Guide to America’s Leading Litigation Firms & Attorneys, 2012-2014
• New Orleans CityBusiness - 2013 Women of the Year Honoree
• New Orleans CityBusiness - 2010 Leadership in Law Honoree
• New Orleans Magazine - Named one of the Top Lawyers in New Orleans, 2009.
• Martindale-Hubbell A-V rated since 1999
• Senior Managing Editor, Tulane Law Review, 1989 - 1990
• Rittenberg-Weinstein Award, Tulane Law Review, 1990
• Harry S. Truman Scholar from Louisiana, Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation, 1985

Professional Associations and Memberships

• Tulane Law Review, Board of Advisory Editors, Member, 1992 - Present
• Tulane Alumni Association, Board of Directors Representing Law School, Member, 1995 - 1997
• Louisiana Bar Foundation, Fellow, 2008 - Present
• Association for Women Attorneys
• New Orleans Association of Defense Counsel
• Federal Bar Association

Past Employment Positions

• McGlinchey Stafford, Associate, 1991 - 1997
• McGlinchey Stafford, Partner, 1998 - 1999
• U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, Judge W. Eugene Davis, Law Clerk, 1990 - 1991

Pro Bono Activities

• Tulane Law School Alumni, Chair of Class of 1990 Reunions for 5th (1995), 10th (2000), 15th (2005) and 20th (2010) years
• New Orleans Spring Fiesta Association, Legal Advisor on Advisory Board, 2012 to Present, 2012 - Present
• Corresponding Secretary, Society of the Founders of the City of New Orleans, 2011 to Present, 2011 - Present
• New Orleans Vanderbilt Club, President, 1998–2000; Alumni Recruiting Chairperson, 1992–1995; Member of Reunion Committee Class for 25th Reunion, 2012
• Active member of the Mercy Academy Alumnae Association, former President and Board Member
• Jefferson Dollars for Scholars, Vice Chair, Scholarships, June 1, 2003 - June 1, 2005
• Catholic Charities New Orleans, Former Member of Advisory Board
• Former Board Member, Spirit of ’76 Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution
• Volunteer at her children's school, St. Catherine of Siena

 

See Library Tab for articles, publications and presentations by Martha Young Curtis