Zack is a member of Reed Smith’s Insurance Recovery Group, the only policyholder-side insurance practice ranked Band 1 by Chambers and Partners in both the U.S. and the UK. Zack focuses his practice on complex insurance recovery litigation in state and federal courts throughout the United States. He represents corporate policyholders in high-stakes coverage disputes spanning directors and officers (D&O) liability, commercial general liability (CGL), professional liability, and first-party property insurance, often involving matters of first impression and multi-million-dollar exposures.
Experience
Representative matters
Representative matters
Recovered more than $150 million in settlements for business interruption and property damage losses arising from Winter Storm Uri damage to manufacturing facility.
Recovered more than $31 million in insurance proceeds for clients in a first-party property case for oilfield services company.
Won summary judgment on behalf of the largest manufacturer of exterior building products in North America in coverage litigation arising from an alleged $600 million shareholder derivative action, securing full coverage for the defense and settlement of the lawsuit.
Representative Experience
Recovered more than $150 million in settlements for business interruption and property damage losses arising from Winter Storm Uri damage to manufacturing facility.
Recovered more than $31 million in insurance proceeds for clients in a first-party property case for oilfield services company.
Won summary judgment on behalf of the largest manufacturer of exterior building products in North America in coverage litigation arising from an alleged $600 million shareholder derivative action, securing full coverage for the defense and settlement of the lawsuit.
Won summary judgment rulings on liability and damages under a well control insurance policy securing full coverage limits, penalties under the Texas Insurance Code, and past and future attorneys’ fees, for losses arising from a well-out-of-control event.
Successfully represented numerous clients in duty-to-defend and duty-to-pay coverage disputes under professional liability, directors’ and officers’, and commercial general liability insurance policies.
Obtained a $3 million settlement from a leading insurer in a D&O dispute involving a goods-or-products exclusion of first impression in Texas.
Successfully defeated fraud and federal RICO claims on behalf of a major energy company in a declaratory judgment action brought by an insurer, resulting in a 20-page opinion dismissing the claims in their entirety.
Defeated a motion to dismiss a bad faith claim in a coverage action on behalf of a publicly traded global asset manager, leading to a ruling from the District Court and Magistrate Judge that confirms a Pennsylvania policyholder’s ability to assert both statutory and common-law bad faith causes of action against insurers in appropriate circumstances.
Recognitions
- Named to the 2021 Pittsburgh Business Times Top 30 under 30
Credentials
Education
Education
- Georgetown University Law Center, 2018, J.D.
- Carnegie Mellon University, 2014, B.S.B.A.
Professional admissions & qualifications
Professional admissions & qualifications
- Pennsylvania
- Texas
Court admissions
Court admissions
- U.S. District Court - Western District of Pennsylvania
News
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Media mentions
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