Jersey Justice: A Civil Law Podcast

Episode 45

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Published on:

17th Jan 2025

Jersey Justice w/ Victoria Gmelich | Episode 45 | Breaking Barriers: Facing the Boy's Club

On the latest episode of Jersey Justice, attorneys Gerald Clark and Mark Morris of the Clark Law Firm, PC welcome Victoria Gmelich

The session covers Victoria's journey from being a Divison 1 Swimmer at Dartmouth and working on Wall Street to founding Trinity Hall an Independent All-Girls High School in Tinton Falls, NJ.

Topics include:

- Victoria's early struggles and finding her path to Graduating from an Ivy League University

- The history behind the inception of Trinity Hall due to the lack of an All-Girls School in the Area for her kids like her Daughters.

- Initial challenges and roadblocks that stood in the way of Trinity Hall opening its door, specifically as an All-Girls institution while participating in a predominantly Male-dominated "Club"

- Non-traditional challenges such as lack of support by the diocese to open a religious institution and enduring multiple rounds of frivolous land use lawsuits

- Educational standards and how the competition of higher funded institutions made it nearly impossible for Trinity Hall to open its doors. The great task of finding the right leaders and team to make a prominent program excel.

- Advice for others pursuing similar paths and the importance of community involvement to better secure the futures of children within the community. Also showcases the involvement of Trinity Hall within their community and their initiatives.

To Learn More About Trinity Hall visit: TrinityHallNJ.org and see their "Behind the Bricks" series click here

To Donate to the Capital Campaign visit here

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About the Podcast

Jersey Justice

A Civil Law Podcast

Jersey Justice delivers insightful and engaging discussions on a range of civil law and policy matters in New Jersey, including workplace and construction site injuries, automobile crashes, commercial litigation, and other related legal matters. Jersey Justice is designed to keep listeners informed and educated about the complexities of civil law and policy in America.

Jersey Justice: A Civil Law Podcast is hosted by esteemed attorneys Gerald H. Clark and Mark W. Morris and delivers captivating and informative content through an interview-driven format, enriched with panel discussions that showcase the expertise of distinguished guest speakers from the legal field. The podcast is produced by Dimple Dang, Podcaster and Legal Marketing Expert.

About your hosts

Gerald Clark

Gerald H. Clark, Esq. is certified by the New Jersey Supreme Court as a Civil Trial Attorney and holds a distinction shared by less than 3% of New Jersey attorneys.

Gerald H. Clark, an accomplished and influential attorney in New Jersey's construction injury law, has made significant strides in the legal field. A long-time member of the Board of Governors of the New Jersey Association for Justice, he has served as counsel on numerous state and national class action matters, including a landmark consumer fraud lawsuit against Cooper Tire & Rubber Company, which resulted in a settlement valued at $1-3 billion.

Throughout his career, Gerald has successfully handled catastrophic loss and wrongful death cases, passionately representing deserving clients on a contingency basis to ensure access to justice. His strategic appeals in cases like Costa v. Gaccione and Fernandes v. DAR Development Corp. have influenced New Jersey's construction injury law for the benefit of workers.

Gerald has been recognized in the New Jersey Law Journal's "40 Under 40" and named a "Rising Stars Super Lawyer" from 2006-2012. Since 2013, he has been consistently honored as a "Super Lawyer" by Thompson Reuters, a "Top 100 Trial Lawyer" by the National Trial Lawyers Association, and a "Top 100 Litigation Lawyer in the State of New Jersey" by the American Society of Legal Advocates.

Mark Morris

Mark W. Morris, a senior trial attorney, has been recognized on the Super Lawyers Rising Stars List each year since 2019 and has been named a “Top 40 Under 40 Civil Plaintiff Trial Lawyer” by the National Trial Lawyers Organization since 2019 as well.

Throughout his career, Mark has obtained remarkable settlements and verdicts for his clients, such as a $2 million settlement for a concert patron injured by a stage diver, a $1.325 million settlement for a motorist struck by an intoxicated driver, a $1 million settlement in a negligent security case and a $975,000 settlement in a worksite products liability case. Additionally, he has played a vital role in helping Clark Law Firm P.C. achieve numerous multi-million-dollar settlements and jury verdicts including a jury verdict of $2,579,000 for a construction worker who was injured when he was backed over by a utility truck.

Leading the firm's Consumer Rights Division, Mark has successfully prosecuted state and nationwide consumer class action claims, representing clients against businesses engaging in misleading or fraudulent practices. Notably, he worked on an obsolete motor oil class action that resulted in a $28.5 million settlement for consumers in 2021. Mark has also secured a $1 million consumer fraud class action settlement involving misleading business practices related to the service of process.

With a commitment to all aspects of litigation, Mark has demonstrated success in handling client intake, depositions, motion practice, arbitrations, mediations, and trial. He has won several cases before the Appellate Division and has litigated in both state and federal courts throughout New Jersey and the Southern District of New York.