Martha Y. Curtis - New Orleans, LA
Attorney at Sher Garner Cahill Richter Klein & Hilbert, L.L.C.
Insurance Law Lawyers in New Orleans, LA
909 Poydras Street Suite 2800 New Orleans, LA 70112
- Free Consultation
- 1 Super Lawyers®
-
36
Years
Experience
New Orleans Insurance Law Lawyer
Updated: 02/16/2026
Areas of Practice
- Insurance Law
- Appellate Advocacy
- Litigation
Attorney Information
Overview
Martha Y. Curtis is a founding member (partner) of Sher Garner Cahill Richter Klein & Hilbert, L.L.C. 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.
Ms. Curtis has extensive appellate advocacy experience, having argued extensively before the United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, the United States Tenth 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. Ms. Curtis is a FINRA arbitrator.
Before beginning private practice, Ms. Curtis clerked for The Honorable W. Eugene Davis on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit from 1990 to 1991.
Ms. Curtis has received numerous recognitions including Lawdragon (1 of 500 Leading Litigators in America), Best Lawyers in America (Insurance Law), Benchmark Litigation Guide to America’s Leading Litigation Firms & Attorneys ( Louisiana Local Litigation Star); Louisiana Super Lawyers (Insurance Coverage); New Orleans Magazine(Top Lawyers); and New Orleans City Business (Leadership in Law and one of Women of the Year).
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.
Awards and Honors
Honors
- Martindale-Hubbell A-V rated since 1999
- Senior Managing Editor, Tulane Law Review
- Rittenberg-Weinstein Award, Tulane Law Review
- Harry S. Truman Scholar from Louisiana, Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation
- 2025 Best Lawyers
- Best Lawyers in America since 2013, with special designations in Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs, since 2013, Best Lawyers
- Louisiana Super Lawyers, Insurance Coverage, 2015-2022, Super Lawyers
- New Orleans CityBusiness - 2010 Leadership in Law Honoree
- New Orleans CityBusiness - 2013 Women of the Year Honoree
- 2015 Louisiana Super Lawyers, Insurance Coverage
- New Orleans Magazine - Named one of the Top Lawyers in New Orleans, 2009
- Best Lawyers in America since 2013 Insurance Law
- Leading Litigator, 2026, Lawdragon
Other Sources of Feedback About Martha Y. Curtis
Included on the 2026 Louisiana Super Lawyers list
Past Lists
- 2025 Louisiana Super Lawyers list
- 2024 Louisiana Super Lawyers list
- 2023 Louisiana Super Lawyers list
- 2022 Louisiana Super Lawyers list
- 2021 Louisiana Super Lawyers list
- 2020 Louisiana Super Lawyers list
- 2019 Louisiana Super Lawyers list
- 2018 Louisiana Super Lawyers list
- 2017 Louisiana Super Lawyers list
- 2016 Louisiana Super Lawyers list
- 2015 Louisiana Super Lawyers list
Education
-
Legal Education
-
Tulane Law School,
New Orleans,
Louisiana, 1990
J.D.
Honors: summa cum laude
Honors: Order of the Coif
Honors: John Minor Wisdom Award
Law Review: Tulane Law Review, 1988 - 1990
-
Tulane Law School,
New Orleans,
Louisiana, 1990
-
Non Legal Education
-
Vanderbilt University,
Nashville, 1987
B.A.
Honors: summa cum laude
Honors: History Honors
Honors: Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society
Major: English & History
-
Vanderbilt University,
Nashville, 1987
Current Employment Position(s)
-
Member
Past Positions
- McGlinchey Stafford, Partner, 1998 to 1999, Associate, 1991 to 1997
- U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, Judge W. Eugene Davis, Law Clerk, 1990 - 1991
Classes and Seminars
-
Louisiana Coverage Issues, Perrin Conferences
-
Construction CPM Conferences
- A City Below Sea Level Rises Above: Exploring the Legal Impacts of Katrina Over the Last Decade, Loyola University, College of Law
Pro Bono Activities
- New Orleans Spring Fiesta Association, Legal Advisor on Advisory Board, 2012 to Present, 2012 - Present
- Past President, Society of the Founders of the City of New Orleans
- Past President, Our Lady of Mercy Academy Alumnae Association
Representative Cases
-
In re Texas Brine Co., LLC, 879 F.3d 1224 (10th Cir.2018)
-
Smith v. Regional Transit Authority, 827 F.3d 412 (5th Cir. 2016)
Published Works
Articles
-
The Status and Evolution of First-Party Property Insurance Bad Faith Claims After Hurricane Katrina, 62, Loy. L. Rev. 25, 2016
-
Tort Law Desk Reference: A Fifty-State Compendium, Contributing Editor, 2015
Bar Admissions
- Louisiana, 1990
- Texas, 2000
- U.S. District Court Western District of Louisiana, 1991
- U.S. District Court Eastern District of Louisiana, 1991
- U.S. District Court Middle 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. District Court of the District of Columbia, 2013
- U.S. Court of Appeals 5th Circuit, 1991
- U.S. Court of Federal Claims, 2006
- U.S. Supreme Court, 2003
Other Affiliations
- FINRA Arbitrator, 2019 - Present
- GNO Federal Credit Union, Member of the Board of Directors, 2016 to Present
- Tulane Law Review, Board of Advisory Editors, Member, 1992 to Present
Fraternities and Sororities
- Phi Beta Kappa
- Omicron Delta Kappa
Contact
909 Poydras Street
Suite 2800
New Orleans, LA 70112
Phone: 504-299-2111
Email: Send a message
Website: https://www.shergarner.com
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