Jared Zola is a partner in Blank Rome’s policyholder-only insurance recovery practice, formerly the insurance practice of Dickstein Shapiro LLP. One of the nation’s preeminent policyholder trial lawyers, his work litigating high-stakes cases across the country for blue chip corporate clients has earned him consistent praise. Recent accolades include:
- Jared was recently named one of the “Top 500 Leading Litigators in America” by Lawdragon.
- He is also ranked highly in insurance based on client feedback, including by Chambers USA (Nationwide and New York), as a Legal 500 “Leading Lawyer” (one of 17 nationally in the Insurance Policyholder category), and as a top litigator byBenchmark Litigation.
- Lexology, Inc. named him the 2020 “Exclusive Winner of the Client Choice Award for Insurance & Reinsurance for the USA” (finalists can only be nominated by corporate counsel).
- The New York Law Journal named Jared a “New York Trailblazer” in its inaugural list (the only insurance lawyer across all practices).
- In its most recent editions, Who’s Who Legal named Jared a “Global Leader” and a “Thought Leader.”
- Before Jared turned 40 years old, Law360 named him a “Top Attorney Under 40” in four consecutive years for his work on behalf of insurance policyholders—he is the only attorney to ever be named a “Rising Star” more than once in the insurance category.
- Jared is a Fellow of the invitation-only American College of Coverage Counsel.
Jared is a frequent analyst for the Financial Times, Washington Post, NBC News, CBS News, Business Insurance, Insurance Business America, and Law360.
During the past 24 months, Jared took a lead role presenting witnesses’ direct testimony and cross-examining witnesses at a successful insurance recovery arbitration for a Fortune 500 company involving major international product liability losses; he took a lead role presenting witnesses’ direct testimony and cross-examining witnesses at a high-profile insurance recovery jury trial in New York federal court involving property damage and business interruption losses; he successfully argued for summary judgment on the applicable “number of occurrences” issue in a significant insurance recovery litigation in Minnesota federal court for a Fortune 500 company involving an underlying medical device product liability MDL; he successfully argued in opposition to summary judgment and reconsideration in a closely watched insurance recovery litigation in New Jersey state court for a publicly traded REIT involving pollution liability coverage from COVID-19; he defeated an insurer’s motion to dismiss the counterclaim seeking insurance coverage filed in California federal court for the largest bakery company in the United States; and he settled an insurance recovery case in Ireland for a Global 500 company involving an underlying advertising loss.
Jared’s industry recognitions span more than 10 years. Recent commentary includes:
- Chambers USA: Chambers 2024 quotes clients stating that: “Jared is an exceptionally knowledgeable attorney who is gifted at framing and then presenting arguments and very fast at assimilating new knowledge and applying it to the matter at hand,” and he “is very experienced and a strategic thinker who is calm, measured but also assertive.” Recent Chambers editions cite the following client feedback: “Jared is extremely practical and business-oriented” and he “doesn't get overly technical and is great at making complex ideas simple.” Clients also note his “expert handling of complex, high-stakes and often sensitive coverage disputes,” saying that he “not only is an excellent attorney but also fantastic adviser, thinking through all the strategic elements of the issue,” is “sought out by policyholders to provide representation on several complex coverage claims,” and “is very well connected and a strong advocate.”
- Legal 500: Legal 500 2024 recognizes that: “In New York, Jared Zola focuses on high-stakes litigation and corporate transactions.” In 2024, clients are quoted as saying that: “I cannot say enough about Jim Murray and Jared Zola. A lot of large law firms, of course, have the expertise to litigate. However, Jim and Jared along with their litigation expertise put their clients first and try to find ways to resolve matters in the best interests of the client. They have a common-sense approach to litigation that some others do not. ...[I]t is not practical to litigate all cases to death and Jim and Jared have that rare combination of legal expertise, common sense, and loyalty to the interest of the client that make them ideal for any policyholder that needs a coverage lawyer.”
- Lexology 2020 Client Choice (client comments): Jared “knows how to make complex topics easily understandable,” he “always makes sure to put his clients’ urgent matters first.” “Jared is practical, quick and accurate” and he “has a very good sense of nuanced strategy.”
- Who’s Who Legal: Insurance & Reinsurance (client comments): Jared is an “outside-the-box thinker and expert negotiator” who “combines high technical expertise with a client-friendly approach” and is praised for his “outstanding work in the practice area.”
Outside the Firm
Jared actively supports Clemson University’s P.A.W. Journey, which is a leadership initiative that holistically develops Clemson Football scholar-athletes through personal growth, life skills, and professional development. P.A.W., an acronym for “Passionate About Winning,” encourages football student leaders to maintain a continually competitive posture towards all aspects of the journey of life. Jared works with Clemson’s P.A.W. Journey professionals to connect with football alumni in New York City.
Additionally, Jared actively supports several charities. He raises money for and rides in the annual “Cycle for Survival” event, which is Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center’s national fundraising movement to beat rare cancers.
Jared is a regular fixture in spin classes at SoulCycle’s West Village studio.