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 lawyers, Jared’s work in high-stakes cases across the country has earned him consistent praise.
Jared is ranked highly in insurance by Chambers USA and Legal 500. Lexology named him the United States’ 2020 Client Choice Award winner in Insurance based on client nominations and recommendations. In 2019, the New York Law Journal named Jared a “New York Trailblazer” in its inaugural list (the only insurance lawyer across all practices). 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 American College of Coverage Counsel (“ACCC”), an invitation-only organization dedicated to improving the quality of the practice of insurance law and to increasing civility and professionalism in the field. The ACCC engages in a rigorous vetting process prior to inviting a lawyer to become a Fellow, with its members including many of the most prominent advocates in the insurance law bar.
Jared’s accomplishments for policyholders on a national stage has led to frequent invitations to share his thoughts on cutting-edge issues facing his clients. Jared is a frequent analyst for the Financial Times, Washington Post, NBC News, CBS News, Business Insurance, Insurance Business America, and Law360. He publishes on a wide range of issues impacting insurance coverage and is regularly asked to speak at events, seminars, and legal education programs across the country.
Industry Recognition
Jared’s nationally-recognized work maximizing insurance assets has earned him significant praise, as noted in his recognitions listed below.
- For ten consecutive years, Chambers USA has recognized Jared as a leading policyholder insurance lawyer. Chambers recommended Jared for his “expert handling of complex, high-stakes and often sensitive coverage disputes” and in 2022 noted that he “not only is an excellent attorney but also fantastic adviser, thinking through all the strategic elements of the issue” and “has an extremely good grasp of client’s objectives.” His clients have told Chambers that he is “very creative in the way he approaches problems with insurers” and that he is “accomplished, responsive, and provided clarity throughout the legal process—he was unequivocal in his commitment to the legal resolution,” “is an excellent strategist and tactician; he knows how to approach complicated and difficult situations,” and he is “sought out by policyholders to provide representation on several complex coverage claims” and “is very well connected and a strong advocate.”
- The 2017–2022 editions of Legal 500 recommend Jared in the Insurance: Advice to Policyholders category. The 2022 edition named him a “Leading Lawyer” in the Policyholder category (one of five nationally) and his clients told Legal 500 that “Jared Zola and his team have always delivered high quality, prompt legal advice in very complex matters with a great deal of responsiveness to client needs” and he “is outstanding for a young partner in this field.” Firm clients praised the Insurance Recovery Practice Group for “bringing together the very top women lawyers in the country in the coverage space” and being “an exceptional value—lean staffing, reasonable rates, careful billing.”
- He was also named to Benchmark Litigation’s 2017 “Under 40 Hotlist,” which ranks attorneys “who have been deemed the most promising emerging talent in their respective litigation communities by peers and clients,” and the 2020–2023 editions of Benchmark Litigation list Jared in the annual rankings.
- Jared was a recipient of a Lexology 2020 Client Choice Award, which recognizes attorneys from around the world who “stand apart for the excellent client care they provide and the quality of their service.” He was recognized for Insurance, with clients noting that Jared “knows how to make complex topics easily understandable” and that he “always makes sure to put his clients’ urgent matters first.” Others stated, “Jared is practical, quick and accurate” and he “has a very good sense of nuanced strategy.”
- In 2019 the New York Law Journal named Jared a “New York Trailblazer” in its inaugural list, after naming him a “Rising Star” under the age of 40 in 2016.
- The 2019–2022 editions of Who’s Who Legal: Insurance & Reinsurance recognized Jared for his “outstanding work in the practice area” and commentators highlighted that he is an “outside-the-box thinker and expert negotiator” who “combines high technical expertise with a client-friendly approach.”
- In 2017, he was named by Law360 as a “Top Attorney Under 40” for the fourth consecutive year in the insurance category for his work on behalf of policyholders.
- In 2018, he was profiled in The Cardozo Journal of Outstanding Alumni.
Outside the Firm
Jared actively supports several charities. Together with his wife, Katie, Jared 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 Tribeca and FiDi studios in lower Manhattan.