HEADLINES
GHW hopes to encourage young high school students at St. Augustine in New Orleans to follow in the footsteps of Charles R. Jones, the first African-American male to ascend to Chief Judge of the Louisiana Fourth Circuit Court of Appeal. GHW funded the "2012 Chief Judge Charles R. Jones Scholarship" to be awarded to a deserving St. Augustine student.
The late Wendell Gauthier’s fight to expose Big Tobacco’s coverup of the addictive properties of nicotine is a significant part of the story of Addiction Incorporated, a docudrama about Victor DeNoble a whistleblower and research scientist at a major tobacco company, who revealed a fact that the industry had been denying for years: that cigarettes were addictive.
GHW attorneys John Houghtaling, James Williams and Celeste Gauthier were inducted into Loyola University’s Society of St. Ignatius.
Attorneys Sean Greenwood and Pat McGinnis were named to H Texas Magazine's list of Top Professionals in Houston.
GHW partner James Williams participated in a roundtable discussion entitled, "Closing the Wealth Gap: Utilizing Minority Owned Businesses as Vehicles for Job Creation and Economic Recovery," on Capitol Hill on September 22, 2011.

Our Firm History


"one of the 100 Most Influential Lawyers in America"
National Law Journal

Gauthier, Houghtaling & Williams continues the tradition of outstanding legal representation established by the late Wendell Gauthier in the early 70's. For the past thirty years, the Gauthier firm has been one of the most influential and most respected law firms in the South. Wendell Gauthier was ranked as one of the "Nations Top 10 Litigation Lawyers" by the National Law Journal and one of the "100 Most Influential Lawyers in America" by the National Law Journal in 1985, 1990 and 1995. The Gauthier firm rose to national prominence as leader of the 100 law firm coalition that negotiated the $350 billion settlement with the Tobacco Industry.

Since 2003, the firm has collected over $100 million for business and individual clients. With offices in New Orleans and Houston, the firm represents business clients whose interests in negotiated contracts total over one quarter of a billion dollars.

In the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Ike, the firm has been retained by a variety of victims, from owners of Class A high rise buildings, to "mom and pop" businesses. To date, the firm has collected over $75 million in hurricane-related recoveries.

In March of 2005, in an article entitled "Legendary Law Firm Ruled by New Lawyer," City Business Magazine featured Managing Partner John Houghtaling on its front cover when he overtook the leadership of the Gauthier firm following Wendell Gauthier's passing. In 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008, Mr. Houghtaling was ranked as one of the "Top 50 Lawyers in New Orleans" by City Business Magazine, one of only four lawyers recognized so consecutively. He and James Williams were elected to the magazine's Hall of Fame in 2009. Mr. Williams has been certified as one of "The Top Trial Lawyers in America" by the Million Dollar Advocates Forum.