Get to Know Stephen C. Aertker. Jr.

Stephen "Curt" Aertker, Jr. was born in New Orleans, Louisiana and has lived in the New Orleans metropolitan area for most of his life. In 1994, Stephen graduated summa cum laude with Upper Division Honors Distinction from Louisiana State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science.  While at Louisiana State University, Stephen was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa, Phi Kappa Phi, and Golden Key National Honor Society. He was also chosen as Louisiana State University's Outstanding Student in Political Science.  In 1997, Stephen graduated cum laude from Tulane University School of Law in New Orleans, Louisiana with a Juris Doctor and received an Honors Designation in Trial Advocacy and a Certificate in Maritime Law.

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Stephen is licensed to practice law in Louisiana and Mississippi. Indeed, he is admitted to practice in all state courts of Louisiana and Mississippi, as well as the United States District Court for the Eastern, Middle, and Western Districts of Louisiana and the Northern and Southern Districts of Mississippi. Stephen is also admitted to practice before the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.  He also represents clients in many other states by means of pro hac vice admission through local counsel.

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Stephen is “AV” rated by Martindale-Hubbell based upon peer review from fellow attorneys and judges.  An “AV” rating means that Stephen is deemed to have very high professional ethics and pre-eminent legal ability.  In 2009, New Orleans Magazine recognized Stephen as one of the “Top Lawyers” in the New Orleans metropolitan area in the field of litigation.

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Notwithstanding his flourishing legal practice, Stephen remains active in his civic community. A huge soccer fanatic, he currently serves as the Director of Coaching for the Covington FC soccer program, where he coaches multiple competitive soccer teams and mentors fellow coaches.  Since 2023, he has served as the varsity head coach for Mandeville High School soccer team.. Stephen was also the coach and founder of the nationally-ranked FC Tammany Tigers 2002/2003 girls soccer team, which was the consensus #1 girls soccer team in Louisiana that won five (5) USYS Louisiana State Cups & three (3) USYS Mid South Conference Championships, competed in the prestigious USYS National League for three (3) consecutive seasons, and won numerous other local, regional, and national tournaments. 

 

He previously served as the President of the Board of Directors of the Children’s Advocacy Center/Hope House (“Hope House”), which is a non-profit organization that serves as the voice of hope, healing, and awareness for the abused children of St. Tammany and Washington Parishes. Stephen is also a graduate of the esteemed Leadership St. Tammany program, which is a community -focused leadership development program sponsored by the St. Tammany West Chamber of Commerce designed to nurture emerging community leaders and facilitate public involvement.  Motivated by his love for trial advocacy, Stephen also has coached local high school students in trial advocacy for the purpose of mock trial competitions, including the annual Louisiana State Bar Association’s Mock Trial Tournament.

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Stephen is married to the former Corrine R. Blakeman. They have two daughters, Caroline Elise and Claire Delaney, and a son, Stephen Conrad, III.  The Aertker family resides in Mandeville, Louisiana.