Gerald “Jess” Waltman III

Member

201 St. Charles Avenue
40th Floor
New Orleans, LA 70170-4000

Main: 504.582.1111

Direct: 504.582.1124

Gerald “Jess” Waltman III joined Gordon Arata in 2023 and represents clients in banking, construction, energy, and other litigation matters. Prior to Gordon Arata, Jess litigated complex pharmaceutical and medical device cases.

Jess graduated, magna cum laude, from the University of Mississippi School of Law and was awarded the Robert C. Khayat Award for Outstanding Service to the Mississippi Law Journal by his peers and the 2016 Outstanding Law Student Award by the faculty. While in law school, Jess served as president of the Student Bar Association, as the executive online editor and alumni coordinator of the Mississippi Law Journal, and as editor-in-chief of the UM Business Law Newsletter. He was also active with the School of Law’s Trial Advocacy Board, Dean’s Leadership Council, and Pro Bono Initiative, which allows practicing attorneys and law students to provide legal services to low-income individuals.

In 2013, Jess graduated from the Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College and earned his undergraduate degree, cum laude, from the Patterson School of Accountancy at the University of Mississippi. In his senior year, Jess was inducted into Phi Kappa Phi and the University of Mississippi Hall of Fame.

From 2022 to 2023, Jess served as the president of the Young Lawyers Division of the Mississippi Bar, and he has served in leadership roles in multiple other organizations, including the New Orleans Bar Association, the American Bar Association, the Mississippi Association for Justice, the University of Mississippi Alumni Association, the American Cancer Society, and the Human Rights Campaign.

In 2023, Jess was honored as one of the members of the “Top Forty Under Forty” class by the University of Mississippi Alumni Association and in the Mississippi Business Journal’s 2023 “Top Forty Under Forty” class. He was also named the 2023 New Lawyer of the Year by the Mississippi Association for Justice.

Practice Areas

Banking & Finance Litigation
Banking and Finance
Bankruptcy, Restructuring and Creditors’ Rights
Commercial Litigation
Construction
Energy & Natural Resources
Environmental & Toxic Torts
Litigation
Oil, Gas and Energy Litigation and Arbitration
Product Liability

Admissions

Alabama
Arizona
Georgia
Louisiana
Mississippi
Texas
U.S. Court of Appeals, 11th Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals, 5th Circuit
U.S. District Court, Eastern District of LA
U.S. District Court, Eastern District of TX
U.S. District Court, Middle District of LA
U.S. District Court, Northern District of MS
U.S. District Court, Northern District of TX
U.S. District Court, Southern District of MS
U.S. District Court, Southern District of TX
U.S. District Court, Western District of LA
U.S. District Court, Western District of TX
U.S. Supreme Court

Education

University of Mississippi School of Law, J.D. magna cum laude 2016
University of Mississippi, B.Accy. cum laude 2013

Recognition

2026 Benchmark Litigation’s 40 & Under List
2026 On the Rise – Top 40 Young Lawyers, American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division
2026 Outstanding Young Lawyer, Mississippi Bar Young Lawyers Division
Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America® for Banking and Finance Law, Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Environmental (2026 & 2027)
2024 Top 40 Young Lawyer Award Recipient, Louisiana Bar Association Young Lawyers Division
Selected for inclusion as a Louisiana Super Lawyers – Rising Star, 2025 – present
2023 New Lawyer of the Year, Mississippi Association for Justice
2023 “Top Forty Under Forty” Honoree, The University of Mississippi Alumni Association
2023 “Top Forty Under Forty” Honoree, Mississippi Business Journal
2022 Membership Outreach Bedrock Award, The Human Rights Campaign
2021-2022 Above and Beyond Award, American Association for Justice New Lawyers Division
2020-2021 New Lawyers Division Excellence Award, American Association for Justice New Lawyers Division

Affiliations

Louisiana State Bar Association: Member in Good Standing (October 2016-Present)
- Diversity Committee: Member (2025-Present)
- Committee on Bar Admissions (2023-Present)
  - Assistant Torts Examiner (2023-Present)
The Mississippi Bar: Member in Good Standing (April 2017-Present)
- Young Lawyers Division of the Mississippi Bar: Member (2017-Present)
  - Immediate Past President (2023-2024)
  - President (2022-2023)
  - President-Elect (2021-2022)
  - Member, Executive Committee (2021-2024)
  - Member, Board of Directors (2017-2024)
  - Co-Chair, Diversity Committee (2020-2021)
  - Chair, Communications Committee (2019-2020)
  - Chair, High School Mock Trial Gulf Coast Regional (2019-2022)
  - Member, High School Mock Trial Committee (2019-2022)
  - Chair, Veterans Legal Assistance Committee (2018-2019)
  - Judge, Mississippi High School Mock Trial Competition (2018-2025)
The Mississippi Bar Board of Bar Commissioners: Commissioner (2021-2024)
- Member, Executive Committee (2022-2024)
The Mississippi Bar Foundation, Inc. Board of Trustees: Trustee (2022-2023)
Fellows of the Young Lawyers Division Board of Directors: Member (2021-2024)
Diversity Committee: Member (2022-2025)
Alabama State Bar Association: Member in Good Standing (May 2018-Present)
State Bar of Arizona: Member in Good Standing (December 2019-Present)
State Bar of Texas: Member in Good Standing (January 2025-Present)
The Pro Bono Project: Volunteer (2023-Present)
Federal Bar Association: Member (2023-Present)
- Member, Diversity Committee (2023-Present)
- Member, New Orleans Chapter (2023-Present)
  - Member, Younger Lawyers Division Board of Directors (2024-Present)
  - Member, Younger Lawyers Division (2023-Present)
  - Member, LGBTQ+ Law Section (2023-Present)
    - Chair, LGBTQ+ Law Section Events Committee (October 2023-Present)
New Orleans Bar Association: Member (2023-Present)
- Member, LGBTQIA+ Committee (2023-Present)
- Member, Young Lawyers Section (2023-Present)
  - Co-Chair, Summer Associates “Dos and Don’ts” Program (2024-Present)
  - Co-Chair, “Procrastinators’ Program” Committee (2023-Present)
- Member, New Orleans Bar Association American Inn of Court (2024-Present)
American Bar Association: Member (2017-Present)
- Young Lawyers Division (2017-Present)
  - Chair, Long Range Planning Board (2023-Present)
  - Member, Affiliates Committee (2024-2025)
  - Member, Membership Committee (2022-Present)