About Mary Kathryn
Mary Kathryn Aufrecht combined a liberal arts education and legal training before entering practice. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Colgate University and a J.D. from Loyola University New Orleans College of Law. Those two schools shaped a lawyer who understands both broad context and technical detail.
Her licensing spans two very different systems. She is admitted to practice in Louisiana and New York. That dual admission requires fluency in Louisiana’s civil law traditions and New York’s common law procedures. It also means she regularly considers how choices of forum, pleading standards and procedural rules can affect outcomes when matters touch both states.
Aufrecht’s early work involved the routine demands of a practicing attorney: counseling clients, drafting filings, preparing motions and appearing in court. Over time she developed steady familiarity with transactional work and contested matters alike. She has dealt with regulatory questions, contract disputes and the day-to-day problem solving that attorneys face when statutes or precedent create uncertainty.
At Clair & Gjertsen, Esqs. she joined a firm that handles matters across jurisdictions. Her role there has included advising clients on state and federal issues and coordinating strategies when a case involves multiple courts. She often serves as the point person for questions that require background in both Louisiana law and New York practice. The work calls for careful analysis, clear writing and an ability to explain complex legal concepts to clients who need actionable answers.
Colgate and Loyola remain touchstones. Her undergraduate training is reflected in an approach that values context and careful questioning. Her law school training supplied the doctrinal tools. Together they shape how she prepares for hearings, negotiates settlements and reviews documents.
Clients and colleagues describe her as methodical and exacting in preparation. She prefers clear lines of communication. She avoids surprises in court and in transactional settings by anticipating procedural issues and practical obstacles.
She continues to practice at Clair & Gjertsen, Esqs., where she handles matters arising under both Louisiana and New York law. Her current practice concentrates on cross-jurisdictional matters and the procedural challenges they present.
