The first thing you’ll notice when you meet attorney Gayle Gerling Pettinga is her energy and her focus. You’ll notice that she really listens to you, listens to your story and connects with you on a personal level. She has a gift for understanding exactly what you and your family are going through, understanding the pain you may have experienced due to the negligence or recklessness of others.
In a Word, She’s Engaged.
You might not be looking for a friend, but you’ll know this right away – Gayle Gerling will be on your side, at your side, every step of the way. And isn’t this really what matters? Knowing that your attorney is at your side – fully prepared, experienced, knowledgeable, and ready to aggressively protect your legal rights and get you the compensation you deserve?
Gayle’s compassion for those in need extends beyond her personal injury clients at Gerling Law. Just ask the over 7,000 area children who have received free bicycle helmets as part of the Gerling Law Great Helmet Give-Away that Gayle launched in 2006. Or the victims of abuse who have sought refuge at Holly’s House or the cancer patients who receive support from Gilda’s Club of Evansville, two local non-profit organizations on whose boards of directors Gayle has served. In fact, the list of charitable and non-profit organizations in Evansville that have benefitted from the generosity of Gayle and her colleagues at Gerling Law now includes more than 100 organizations.
Born and raised in Evansville, Gayle is a respected, experienced lawyer and a valued community leader. She graduated near the top of her class at IU’s prestigious Maurer School of Law. She’s practiced law with one of the largest firms in Indianapolis as well as one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world. And that means she knows how big law firms and big companies think and how they operate – and she will put that knowledge to work for you. When Gayle’s father, distinguished personal injury attorney Gary Gerling, decided that it was time to step down from leading the firm he founded in 1963, he didn’t have to look far to find a talented, energetic and compassionate attorney to take over the practice. He looked to his daughter, Gayle Gerling Pettinga, who has led this experienced group of results-oriented personal injury attorneys with locations in Evansville, Indianapolis, and Owensboro, KY.
Published Works
- Senior Note Editor, Indiana Law Journal Editorial Board
- Rational Basis With Bite: Intermediate Scrutiny by Any Other Name, 62 Indiana Law Journal 779, 1986
Representative Cases
- Schrader v. Eli Lilly and Co., 639 N.E.2d 258 (Ind. 1994)
Honors and Awards
- Martindale-Hubbell — Peer Review Rated: AV®
- Avvo Rated: 10.0
- Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum
- National Trial Lawyers Top 100 Trial Lawyers, 2007 – Present
- National Trial Lawyers Top Ten Trucking Lawyers 2020
- American Institute of Personal Injury Attorneys 10 Best Attorneys in Indiana for Exceptional and Outstanding Client Service
- Marquis Who’s Who in American Law
- Junior League of Evansville Top Twenty Women in Business 2019
- Evansville Day School Founders Achievement Award 2018
- YWCA Evansville Tribute to Achievement Award 2018
- YWCA Evansville 100 Years, 100 Women Honoree, 2011
- Finalist, 2010 Spirit of Giving Award of the Vanderburgh Community Foundation
- Finalist, 2009 Celebration of Leadership Award of Leadership of Evansville
- Finalist, 2009 Spirit of Giving Award of the Vanderburgh Community Foundation
Professional Associations and Memberships
- National Trial Lawyers Association
- American Association for Justice
- Indiana Trial Lawyer Association – Board Member, 2002 – Present
- Indiana Trial Lawyer Association – Past Member of Law Pac, Amicus Curiae and Paralegal Training Committees
- Evansville Bar Association – Past Member of the Court Action Committee
- Evansville Bar Association – Past Chair of the Law Day Committee
- Indianapolis Bar Association – Past Board Member
- Indianapolis Bar Association – Past Chair of the Women and the Law Division
- Indiana University Maurer School of Law Alumni Advisory Board - Past Board Member
- Brain Injury Association of Indiana
- Smith College Alumnae Association – Past Member Board of Trustees, 1984 – Present
- Evansville Area Chamber of Commerce
- Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce
- Better Business Bureau
- Owensboro Impact100 - Member, 2016 – Present
Civic Activities
- Gerling Law Great Helmet Giveaway – Founder and Organizer
- Gerling Law Recycle Bag Initiative – Founder and Organizer
- Holly’s House – Past Board Member
- Women’s Fund of Vanderburgh County – Past Co-Chair, Past Vice Co-Chair and Past Board
- Member; Past Member of Grants Committee
- Gilda’s Club of Evansville – Past Board Member, Past Chair of Building Committee and Past Finance Committee Member
- Juvenile Guidance Foundation – Board Member; Founding Member; Past President
- Culver Academies Parent Board – Past Board Member
- Children’s Museum of Evansville – Advisory Board Member; Past Member of Capital Campaign Committee
- Evansville Day School – Past Board President; Past Board Member; Past Chair of Strategic Planning Committee; Past Member of Headmaster Selection Committee
- Habitat for Humanity – Past Member Project Committee for Law Build
- Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra – Past Board Member
- Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra – Past Board Member
- Indiana Governor’s Art Awards – Past Chair of Corporate Solicitation
- Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce – Past Member of Partners in Education Committee
- Race for the Cure – Past Team Organizer
- Indiana Repertory Theatre Velodrama – Past Team Organizer
- Acros Gymnastics Booster Club – Past President and Board Member
- Evansville Christian Life Center – Volunteer
- United Way of Indianapolis – Past Panelist for Allocations
