Martin P. Rutberg

When people meet Marty Rutberg, they sense that this is a serious man doing serious work. Other lawyers try to impress people by talking about the size of their verdicts and settlements; Marty’s record speaks for itself. He focuses his firm on the size of the difference they make in people’s lives – Marty sees personal injury law as the ultimate “helping profession.” He chose to be a personal injury lawyer so he could help people. To some, that statement is just words, but to Marty Rutberg, it’s a personal mantra and the cultural foundation of the firm.

Marty has been practicing law for more than 40 years, initially in general practice. But after winning a large personal injury verdict for a client with brain injuries, Marty chose to devote his career to helping injured people and their families.

This is an attorney with an impressive portfolio of verdicts and settlements, many with compelling human perspective. He has impeccable credentials, including service as President of the Dutchess County Bar Association, receipt of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Award for Community Service, and memberships in the New York State Trial Lawyers Association, the American Board of Trial Advocates, and the American Association for Justice. His unique presence and effectiveness derive from the way his personal and professional lives merge to create a unique legal personality.

In his college years, Marty saw himself working in forestry, then turned to political science and the law, but never lost his affinity for the outdoors. He is a lifelong mountain hiker and canoe traveler who regularly journeys solo. He believes that his time “outside and alone” gives him an edge in presenting his cases. People who speak with him and see him work believe it too.

As Marty describes it, “There is some kind of synergy between the skills and experience of wilderness travel and my professional style, especially in the courtroom. Both involve sustained physical output along with a calmed mind and opened senses. Both require you to constantly see the big picture yet quickly identify important details. It’s not exactly thinking. It is more of a spontaneous seeing of things as they are and taking them as they come. Lots of people can learn the rules of law. My inner experience in wilderness somehow gives me the ability to absorb and embody my client’s case. That allows me to be extremely effective in communicating the case to others. That communication is the purpose of my professional existence. Marty’s refined perception, analysis, and judgment are his guides in the complex world of personal injury law. It makes him a formidable opponent and a valued advocate in and out of the courtroom.”

Critical thinking and the ability to make correct decisions under pressure are paramount to success whether in the wilderness or in presenting a case. Marty’s refined perception, analysis, and judgment are his guides in the complex world of injury law. That makes him a formidable opponent and a valued advocate both in and out of the courtroom.

To a great degree, Marty is the product of his upbringing. He grew up in a modest home in a blue-collar environment. He has never forgotten his roots and the need to protect the rights of people from all walks of life, especially those who have been hurt by someone else’s negligence.

Marty believes that, “in your heart, you are either an attorney for injured plaintiffs or for defendants. You can’t play both sides without being phony. A plaintiff’s lawyer is a people’s lawyer. The defense is mostly about protecting insurance company profits.”

Marty Rutberg is comfortable in his commitment to the side of the plaintiff. He is proud that Rutberg Breslow is one of the few firms that represent only injured people and their families. In the end, it’s not about the bragging rights that come with the settlements and verdicts, it’s about getting his clients what they deserve, case after case.

If you live anywhere in eastern New York State, chances are you have heard Marty on the radio. There are few who don’t recognize his voice and his message. He is the champion of everyday people with serious injuries. When Marty says he is going to get you fair compensation, you believe it. So do his adversaries. Marty combines tenacity and compassion in a style that achieves results for his clients. His reputation is impeccable. He’s the guy with the intelligence and instincts necessary to lead you through the legal woods… or any woods for that matter.