Login | May 28, 2026
Friends and colleagues pay tribute to Akron bankruptcy attorney Marc Gertz
SHERRY KARABIN
Legal News Reporter
Published: May 28, 2026
A skilled bankruptcy attorney, Marc P. Gertz served as a Chapter 7 trustee for decades, co-founding the law firm Gertz & Rosen, where he helped clients facing financial difficulties to get a fresh start.
On Nov. 3, 2025, Gertz passed away peacefully at the age of 73.
Gertz’s longtime partner and friend Gary Rosen said Gertz will be remembered for his “quick wit, steadfast integrity” and the “steady guidance” he provided to countless clients.
“Marc and I first met at the Jewish Center Day Camp when we were in elementary school in the 1960s,” said Rosen. “We then reconnected when I returned to Akron from law school in 1978.
“What Marc enjoyed the most about the law was the ability to help people,” said Rosen, co-founder of Gertz & Rosen. “He had many significant bankruptcy cases over the years, notably the Chapter 7 bankruptcy of Arter & Hadden.
“However, Marc derived the most satisfaction from helping average people work through their problems and get their lives back on track.
“He was a great friend and the best man at my wedding,” said Rosen. “I miss him all the time.”
Peter Tsarnas, a partner at Gertz & Rosen said Gertz was “an exceptional lawyer and an even better person,” describing him as a “key mentor” in his legal career.
“I started working with Marc right after I passed the bar,” said Tsarnas. “When I joined the firm, I had no intention of being a bankruptcy attorney, but Marc informed me that was exactly what I was going to be doing.
“The year I started was the same year that Marc was appointed to serve as the trustee in Arter & Hadden’s Chapter 7 bankruptcy case. He was so busy with the case that he needed help with his other bankruptcy matters.
“So I got the chance to learn a lot from one of the preeminent bankruptcy attorneys in the area,” said Tsarnas. “It turned out to be the best thing that ever could have happened to me.”
Born in Akron on July 27, 1952, he was the younger of Philip and Betty Gertz’s two children.
A graduate of Firestone High School, Gertz earned his bachelor’s degree and his juris doctor from The Ohio State University in 1974 and 1977, respectively.
Gertz was first introduced to bankruptcy law while working for sole practitioner Jerry Holub, the Chapter 13 trustee in Akron.
“Marc’s work with Jerry Holub played a key role in his becoming a Chapter 7 bankruptcy trustee in the early 1980s,” said Rosen. “The late U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge Harold White was also an important mentor for Marc.”
Later he shared office space with attorney Robert Brown, now of counsel at Roderick Linton Belfance.
In 1992, Gertz became a partner at Goldman & Rosen, which changed its name to Gertz & Rosen in 2019.
Attorney Irv Sugerman worked at the firm for many years.
“Marc was my best friend for over 45 years,” said Sugerman, now of counsel at Roetzel & Andress. “We met around 1979 when he was a young lawyer working for Jerry Holub.
“I was their law clerk, and many years later we became partners at Goldman & Rosen.
“We worked on a number of cases together, including the litigation involving the bankruptcy of the law firm Arter & Hadden for which Marc was the Chapter 7 trustee,” said Sugerman.
Sugerman said Gertz was a “consummate professional,” who loved the law, but nothing was more important to him than his family.
“Our families were really close; his son and my youngest son were best friends.
“He helped countless people through some of the most difficult times in their lives,” said Sugerman. “He treated everyone with respect, dignity and compassion.
“He was quite a guy, and I miss him every day.”
Tsarnas said Gertz’s word was worth its weight in gold.
“He practiced law with professionalism and integrity and his word was absolute,” said Tsarnas.
“He was never the type of lawyer who would do a bait and switch,” said Tsarnas.
“He treated everyone with dignity and respect, especially his clients,” said Tsarnas. “He was loved by all and mentored a lot of younger attorneys.”
During his lengthy career, Gertz came before U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge Alan Koschik on many occasions.
“Marc was a preeminent bankruptcy lawyer in Akron, who was well liked by the bench and the bar,” said Judge Koschik, who serves in the Northern District of Ohio.
“Marc appeared before me primarily as one of Akron’s longstanding Chapter 7 panel trustees but also appeared in many other cases where he represented debtors, other trustees, and occasionally creditors and other parties.
“He was always well prepared and very professional,” said Judge Koschik. “What I remember about Marc is that he was very witty and clever.
“He searched for practical solutions and was not one for petty legal fights,” said Judge Koschik. “I always appreciated having him in my courtroom.
“His death is a terrible loss to Akron and its legal community.”
A longtime member of the Ohio State and Akron bar associations, Gertz served as chair of the Akron Bar Association Bankruptcy & Commercial Law Section.
Gertz was an adjunct professor at The University of Akron School of Law.
He frequently lectured on bankruptcy law, speaking at the Akron and Cleveland Metropolitan bar associations, as well as at the White-Williams Bankruptcy Institute and Cleveland State University.
He was also a contributing writer to the book Chapter 7 Consumer Bankruptcy Strategies.
“Marc had a passion for continuing legal education and loved being an Akron Law adjunct professor,” said Tsarnas. “He wanted nothing more than to pass along his knowledge and elevate others.”
Outside of the legal profession, Gertz served as president of the Shaw JCC (Jewish Community Center) of Akron and the Western Reserve Psychiatric Rehabilitation Center and was also a member of several civic and charitable boards.
Gertz was a die-hard sports fan, who was especially fond of The Ohio State Buckeyes, along with the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Browns and the Guardians.
“Marc would watch any sports contest, but he loved the Buckeyes the most,” said Rosen.
Gertz was laid to rest on Nov. 5, 2025 at Rose Hill Burial Park in Akron.
He is survived by his wife, Pamela Jill (Schneier); daughter, Leia Paige Gertz; son, Braden Gertz; and sister, Melanie Springer (Dr. Dennis).
He was preceded in death by his parents, Philip and Betty Gertz.