Our Journey

Charles S. Weems, III (“Charlie”) stands as the current President of Gold Weems and one of Louisiana’s most influential legal leaders, with a career spanning over half a century that has shaped both the firm’s stature and the state’s legal landscape. An Order of the Coif graduate from LSU Law Center where he served as Editor in Chief of the Louisiana Law Review, Weems brought exceptional credentials to the firm and remains highly sought after in commercial transactions with his tax specialization, as well as being recognized as a litigator of uncommon skill.

Weems’ leadership extends far beyond the firm’s walls, positioning Gold Weems at the forefront of Louisiana’s legal reform efforts. As President of the Louisiana State Bar Association in 1996, he led the innovative Citizens’ Summit for Justice Reform, translating public input on civil trials into legislative action. His excellence in trial advocacy earned him the Curtis Boisfontaine Award in 1999, followed by the LSBA’s Distinguished Service Award in 1998 and recognition as Louisiana’s Outstanding Attorney of the Year by the Louisiana Bar Foundation in 2009. Since 1985, he has continuously served on the Louisiana State Law Institute, the state’s official law reform body, including two terms as its President and now as Chair Emeritus and Assistant Director.

His influence on Louisiana’s educational and civic institutions has been transformative. Weems served on the LSU Board of Supervisors for 18 years under five different governors, twice elected as Chair, and was the initial chair of the SEC Conference of Chairs. He spearheaded Central Louisiana’s long and difficult but ultimately successful effort to establish a four-year LSUA, served as President of the Central Louisiana Chamber of Commerce, and founded the Central Louisiana Diversity Alliance. These extraordinary contributions led to his induction into the Louisiana Political Hall of Fame on April 5, 2025, and his recognition in 2016 as the first practicing lawyer named a Louisiana Legend by Louisiana Public Broadcasting. Through his visionary leadership both within Gold Weems and across Louisiana’s legal, educational, and civic institutions, Weems continues to shape the firm’s legacy of excellence and public service.

Henry B. Bruser, III (“Hank”) was instrumental in shaping Gold Weems’ litigation practice over more than three decades with the firm. After joining Gold Law in 1971, he became a shareholder and dedicated his entire private practice career to developing the firm’s expertise in corporate and commercial litigation, expropriation, and insurance defense.

Bruser brought remarkable credentials, having graduated from LSU’s Paul M. Hebert Law Center in 1969, where he won the prestigious Robert Lee Tullis Moot Court Competition and served as a law clerk to Chief Judge E. Gordon West of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana. His early achievements foreshadowed a career marked by leadership and excellence in trial advocacy.

Throughout his practice, Bruser held numerous leadership positions that enhanced both the firm’s reputation and the broader legal community. He served as President of the Alexandria Bar Association from 1983-1984 and later as President of the Louisiana Association of Defense Counsel in 1997, where he also served on the Board of Directors and as faculty for the Trial Academy multiple times. His contributions to legal education included chairing several Louisiana State Bar Association continuing education programs on trial techniques and insurance law. As a Master of the Bench at the Crossroads-American Inn of Court of Alexandria-Pineville, Bruser helped mentor the next generation of trial lawyers, reinforcing Gold Weems’ role as a training ground for exceptional litigators.

Eugene J. Sues (“Gene”) was a foundational leader in establishing Gold Weems’ medical malpractice defense practice, dedicating over 40 years to cultivating the firm’s reputation in this specialized area. After beginning his legal career in 1970 as a trial attorney in the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps, he joined Gold Weems in 1974 and spent his entire private practice career advancing the firm’s expertise in medical malpractice defense, products liability, and insurance law.

During his distinguished career at Gold Weems, Sues earned numerous prestigious honors that elevated the firm’s standing. He was elected as a Fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers in 2009 and was named to The Best Lawyers in America® in 2012. In 2015, he received the Curtis R. Boisfontaine Trial Advocacy Award from the Louisiana Bar Foundation in recognition of his exceptional trial skills. He was also selected for Lifetime Achievement among America’s Top 100 Attorneys®, recognized by Louisiana Super Lawyers for medical malpractice defense, and earned the AV® Preeminent™ Peer Review Rating from Martindale-Hubbell.

A graduate of LSU’s Paul M. Hebert Law Center (1970), Sues built an impressive record defending physicians, hospitals, and healthcare providers in medical review panels, jury trials, and appellate cases throughout Louisiana, establishing Gold Weems as a leading force in medical malpractice defense.

Edward E. Rundell (“Ed”) was a pillar of Gold Weems’ litigation practice, joining the firm in 1974 and dedicating five decades to forging its reputation as a powerhouse in insurance defense and complex litigation. With an exceptional academic foundation including a Ph.D. in Communications from the University of Texas and a J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law, Rundell brought a unique combination of scholarly depth and courtroom prowess that helped define the firm’s approach to trial advocacy.

Over his career at Gold Weems, Rundell developed an outstanding record defending major cases for automobile component manufacturers, trucking companies, and an array of businesses and industries in state and federal courts from Shreveport to New Orleans. His expertise in products liability and tort liability cases positioned Gold Weems as the go-to firm for complex insurance defense matters. These achievements led to his election as a Fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers, recognition in The Best Lawyers in America®, and selection for Lifetime Achievement among America’s Top 100 Attorneys.

Beyond his trial work, Rundell made lasting contributions to the legal profession through his extensive teaching and writing on trial advocacy. As faculty for the National Institute for Trial Advocacy, he taught courses on opening statements, deposition use, and impeachment techniques. His scholarly contributions earned him the Stephen T. Victory Memorial Award in 2001 for Outstanding Contribution to the Louisiana Bar Journal. Through his publications for the Louisiana State Bar Association, Tulane and Loyola law schools, and the Louisiana Association of Defense Counsel, combined with his service as Master of the Bench at the Crossroads-American Inn of Court, Rundell helped train generations of trial lawyers, solidifying Gold Weems’ dual reputation as both a litigation leader and a premier training ground for advocates.