Editor’s note: This is the first of two articles on the NJSBF 2026 Medal of Honor recipients. An interview with the other recipient, U.S. District Court Judge Esther Salas, will be featured in an upcoming issue of The Bar Report.
The New Jersey State Bar Foundation is proud to bestow the 2026 Medal of Honor, the Foundation’s most prestigious award, to Gerald H. Baker of Javerbaum Wurgaft Hicks Kahn Wikstrom & Sinins, P.C.
Baker has earned a reputation as one of New Jersey's leading personal injury attorneys, handling many of the state's most significant and high-profile injury cases. His work has included representing the families of victims of TWA Flight 800, Korean Air Flight 007, EgyptAir Flight 990 and six victims of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. These matters have resulted in some of the largest verdicts and settlements in New Jersey history.
A sought-after educator, Baker is a frequent lecturer for the New Jersey Institute for Continuing Legal Education, the New Jersey State Bar Association and the New Jersey Association for Justice on trial practice, mediation, arbitration, automobile insurance and premises liability. He is also the author of the New Jersey Law Journal's annual supplement, “Automobile Injury: A Look at No-Fault.”
Along with co-Medal of Honor recipient U.S. District Court Judge Esther Salas, Baker will be honored during an awards ceremony at the Park Chateau in East Brunswick on Sept. 22.
“The Medal of Honor celebrates individuals whose careers have strengthened the legal profession through exceptional leadership, integrity and dedication to public service,” said Ralph J. Lamparello, president of the NJSBF. “Gerald H. Baker and U.S. District Court Judge Esther Salas have each made an enduring impact on the administration of justice and the people of New Jersey. We are proud to recognize their extraordinary achievements and lasting contributions with this year’s Medal of Honor.”
Baker spoke recently about his life, career and receiving the Medal of Honor.
Your father was a prominent admiralty attorney who represented immigrants and mariners. What was it like watching him practice law, and when did you realize you wanted to follow in his footsteps?
Watching my father practice, I saw the impact a lawyer could have on people's lives. His clients – many of them immigrants – treated him with tremendous respect. They always called him "counselor," not just because he was their lawyer, but because they trusted him to help them navigate some of the most important moments of their lives. He initially helped immigrants with the legal process of coming to the United States. As they settled here and began working in factories and other trades, many returned to him after suffering workplace injuries. That's how his personal injury practice evolved – from those relationships he had built through his immigration work. What always stood out to me was his ability to connect with people. He gave them a voice when they needed one most. My older brother and I grew up in the same household, but we took very different paths. He had no interest in being a trial lawyer and went into real estate. I was the opposite. From an early age, all I wanted to do was stand in a courtroom and represent people. Looking back, I think I was born to be a trial lawyer.
After law school you could have pursued many different paths. What led you to practice personal injury law?
After law school, I clerked for a year in the Chancery Division in Hudson County. It was an invaluable experience because it gave me a firsthand look at how judges approach cases and make decisions. From there, joining my father in practice felt like the natural next step. He had built a respected practice in Hoboken, and although I grew up in Englewood and have practiced all over New Jersey, I've always been considered a Hudson County lawyer. We practiced together for about 15 years. In the beginning, I was carrying his briefcase, watching him try cases, learning how to examine witnesses and present evidence. Gradually he gave me the opportunity to handle my own trials. By the end of his career the roles had reversed. He would sit beside me as second chair while I tried the case. It was a special experience, and he never stopped teaching me. He watched me make mistakes, then showed me how to become a better trial lawyer. Personal injury law was a natural fit because all I ever wanted was to be in the courtroom representing people. Trial advocacy is about more than knowing the rules and procedures. Those can be taught. But the best trial lawyers also have instincts – an ability to read a courtroom, connect with a jury and know how to tell a client's story. I felt drawn to that from the very beginning.
You've represented clients in some of the nation's most significant cases, including the families of victims of TWA Flight 800, Korean Air Flight 007 and EgyptAir Flight 990. Is there one case that changed the way you think about the law or about people?
I don't think there's one case that changed me. It's really the accumulation of all the cases I've handled over the years. I've represented clients in aviation disasters, train and bus accidents, product liability matters, medical malpractice cases and automobile accidents. Taken together, they create a mosaic of experiences that has shaped the lawyer I am today.
People often focus on the biggest verdicts – like the $53 million recovery against Conrail –but I don't view those cases as any more important than the smaller ones. I still remember one of my first automobile cases, for which the jury returned a verdict of $6,000. I was riding a ski bus that weekend, and while everyone else was asleep on the trip home, I was sitting in the back of the bus under the light preparing my opening statement for trial the next morning. That case mattered just as much to me as any multimillion-dollar verdict I've obtained since. Every client deserves the same level of preparation and commitment regardless of the size of the case. That's a lesson I've carried with me throughout my career.
You've tried cases for nearly six decades. In your view, what is the single most important aspect of trial advocacy that determines success?
If I had to identify one quality, it would be belief. You have to genuinely believe in your client, your evidence and the case you're presenting. Jurors can tell when a lawyer isn't being authentic. They know when someone is simply going through the motions. The foundation of every successful case is credible, truthful evidence presented in a way that makes sense. Jurors may not have legal training, but they make important decisions in their own lives every day. They understand common sense and credibility, and you can't fool them. They'll quickly recognize when something doesn't ring true. Of course, not every case has perfect facts. Some are difficult, and some present real challenges. But your job is to present the evidence honestly, explain it clearly and make the strongest, most credible case you can. If the jury believes you believe in your case, you've taken an important step toward earning their trust.
What qualities separate a good trial lawyer from a truly great one? Is it preparation, storytelling, judgment, empathy? Or is it instinct, like you said earlier?
It's all of those qualities, but they don't always come into play in the same way. Every case is different and the facts ultimately dictate what the lawyer needs to do. Everything starts with preparation. If you're not prepared, it doesn't matter how naturally talented you are. You probably won't get the result your client deserves. But preparation alone isn't enough. You also have to communicate the evidence clearly and persuasively so the jury understands not just the facts, but why they matter. One thing I've learned over the years is that you don't have to be flashy to be an effective trial lawyer. Jurors respond to authenticity. They want to know who you are, and they can tell when you're trying to be someone you're not. The best lawyers develop a style that fits their own personality rather than trying to imitate someone else. I've taught trial advocacy for many years, and that's one lesson I always emphasize: there is no single formula for success. You can learn techniques and refine your skills, but ultimately you have to make those techniques your own.
You've been deeply involved with the New Jersey State Bar Association, serving on its Board of Trustees and chairing key committees. Why did you get involved with the state bar and what have you gotten out of it?
My involvement with the organized bar started on my very first day in practice. After I finished my clerkship, I walked into my father's office, and one of the first things he did was take me to the Hudson County Bar Association and sign me up as a member. To him, being part of the bar wasn't optional – it was simply part of being a lawyer. Over the years, I became involved with the Hudson County bar and the New Jersey State Bar Association. I've now been active in those organizations for more than 55 years. People sometimes joke that there are bar junkies, but I think what really draws us in is a commitment not just to practicing law, but to the community of lawyers and to the profession itself. Serving the bar requires time and sacrifice. When I served on the NJSBA Board of Trustees, I would spend hours traveling to meetings, then head back to the office afterward to catch up on the work I'd missed. I could have spent that time elsewhere, but I never regretted it because I believed the work mattered. I've always enjoyed being around fellow lawyers, learning from them and working toward common goals. I believe those organizations make each of us better individually while making the profession stronger as a whole. In many ways, the bar association is our professional home, and it's worth investing in.
You have spent countless hours teaching other lawyers through CLE programs. You’ve also written many articles on automobile insurance and edited the treatise on premises liability. What motivates you to teach and share your knowledge and experience with others, and what do you hope the next generation takes away from your career?
Teaching has always been as much about educating myself as it has been educating others. One of the best ways to truly understand the law is to study it deeply enough that you can explain it to someone else. From my first day in law school, I loved researching and following the development of the law. Back then, that meant spending hours in the library, pulling cases from the stacks and tracing how the law evolved. Today the tools are different, but my habits haven't changed. I still read the advance sheets every week because I want to know how the law is changing and why. Once I understand something, I enjoy sharing it. I've been fortunate that lawyers have responded well to my seminars, whether I'm speaking to 10 people or 500. My goal has always been to make complicated legal concepts understandable and practical. Every time I teach, I learn something myself. There have even been moments during a presentation when I've stopped and reconsidered a point because I wanted to make sure I was getting it right. Teaching is a continuous learning process.
What does receiving the Medal of Honor mean to you and how do you think the Foundation makes a difference for New Jersey residents?
Receiving the Medal of Honor is deeply meaningful because it recognizes a part of my career that extends beyond the courtroom. I've always thought of myself first as a trial lawyer, but over the years I've also become an educator. Whether teaching lawyers through CLE programs or helping the public better understand the law, I've always believed that education is one of the profession's most important responsibilities. The New Jersey State Bar Foundation plays a vital role in that mission. Through its public education programs, speakers bureau, publications and school initiatives, it helps New Jersey residents understand their legal rights and responsibilities. It provides practical guidance on issues ranging from jury service and domestic violence to landlord-tenant law, insurance and many other everyday legal matters. Those resources empower people to make informed decisions and better navigate the justice system. I'm just one small part of that effort. The Foundation depends on lawyers who are willing to share their knowledge and give back. I'm proud to have contributed in that way. If this award recognizes anything, I hope it's my commitment to helping educate both the legal profession and the public. That's a legacy I'm honored to be part of.
Register for the Sept. 22 Medal of Honor Awards celebration here.