Stephen M. Gele - Senior Attorney
Stephen's practice concentrates on casualty litigation, commercial litigation, environmental litigation, federal practice and government relations. He has tried cases in District and City Courts in the Parishes of Orleans, Jefferson, St. Bernard, St. Charles and Lafourche, and the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana. He has handled appeals in the Louisiana First, Third, Fourth and Fifth Circuit Courts of Appeal, the Louisiana Supreme Court and the United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. Stephen has litigated cases involving the following issues:
- Products liability, including RVs, SUVs, fire suppression systems, fat fryers and plumbing equipment
- Consumer claims, including TILA, FCRA, FDCA and redhibition
- Wrongful death procedure, rights of action and damages
- Vehicle collisions, including accident reconstruction, biomechanics, defective traffic controls, sudden loss of consciousness defense
- Admiralty jurisdiction, navigability, federal preemption and recreational vessel collisions
- Insurance coverage
- Premises and landlord liability
- Legal and contractual subrogation and indemnity, liens
- Medical causation, including entire spine, shoulders, knees, eyes, cardiac, fibromyalgia, depression, post traumatic stress syndrome, bites, burns
- Civil procedure, including right to jury trial, venue, federal removal, abandonment, minor settlements, pre-trial IMEs
- Recreational Use Statute
- Construction defect, mold, termites, New Home Warranty Act
- Utilities, cable and phone companies, pole use and indemnity agreements
- Professional liability claims, including insurance adjuster and agent errors and omissions claims
- Hurricane litigation, including business interruption, wind and flood claims
- Loyola School of Law, J.D., 1993
- Moot Court
- Quarterfinalist Tulane School of Law Invitational Sports Law Moot Court Tournament, 1992
- Loyola 1993 Spring Moot Court Team, William & Mary
- Alpha Sigma Nu (National Jesuit Honor Society)
- Published: Economics and Contract Law, Loyola Student Journal of Economics (Dec., 1990)
- Loyola University, B.S., Political Science, minor Economics, 1990
- Political Science Honors Award
- Pi Sigma Alpha honorary political science fraternity - Vice President, 1988-89
- Loyola Debate Society - Vice President, 1986-87
- Loyola Union - Ideas & Issues Chairman, 1988-89
- Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity
- Scholarship Chairman, 1988
- Secretary, 1988-90
- Delegate to Conclave, 1989
- Interfraternity Council Secretary/Treasurer, 1989-90
- Quality of Greek Life Committee Chairman, 1989-90
- Wesley R. Moynan Award for Outstanding Graduating Senior
Memberships/Affiliations
- Member: Louisiana State Bar Association
- Admitted to practice in all Louisiana federal district courts and the United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals
- Louisiana Association of Defense Counsel
- New Orleans Association of Defense Counsel, Board Director, 2000-present
- Jefferson Bar Association
- New Orleans Bar Association
- Federal Bar Association
- Federalist Society
- Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU), 1998-2002
- Certificate in Insurance Regulation, Insurance Institute of America
- Former Orleans Parish Criminal Sheriff