Loving the drama of the courtroom would lead John W. Houghtaling from modest means and background to managing partner and ownership of the prestigious Gauthier firm in New Orleans, now renamed Gauthier, Houghtaling and Williams. It was at Emory where John W. Houghtaling had first heard the name Wendell Gauthier. While at College his mother sent him a newspaper article about pending big tobacco litigation and the famed attorney, John W. Houghtaling would remember the name some time later. A fellow Loyola law school student was bragging about his work with the nationally known Gauthier firm. John W. Houghtaling pressed for details only to find that the classmate had done manual labor, not legal work. Yet the enterprising John W. Houghtaling saw a door of opportunity where most would have not, and took the next step.Wearing a suit and tie and carrying his laptop, John W. Houghtaling reported to work at the Gauthier firm, moving boxes for $8.00 an hour. And though he was told he looked "silly" and that he should dress more appropriately for the job, John W. Houghtaling dressed for success – every day – to move boxes. One day, that dress-for-success mentality paid off when the legendary Wendell Gauthier was unsuccessfully looking for a lawyer to write a letter. John W. Houghtaling stepped up and offered his writing services. The rest is history.Starting at 6 AM everyday and ending his day after everyone else had left the office, John W. Houghtaling, in the next step of his life as an attorney for the Gauthier firm, was a tireless worker. Passionate about his work and able to choose the cases in which he was interested, John W. Houghtaling began showing Wendell Gauthier and the other partners his value and keen legal mind. Yet something would happen that would devastate both the Gauthier firm – and John.Specialties: In 2005, at the age of 33, John W. Houghtaling became managing partner of Gauthier, Houghtaling and Williams.