zachary.fickes@wilsonelser.com

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Zachary Fickes represents established businesses, insurance carriers and individuals in all aspects of civil litigation in courts across Louisiana. His practice focuses on the defense of claims related to general liability, premises liability, personal injury, trucking and transportation, and hurricane litigation. 

Prior to joining Wilson Elser in 2023, Zack clerked in the 29th Judicial District Court of Louisiana and subsequently practiced with multiple small to medium-sized defense firms in the New Orleans area where he focused on matters involving insurance coverage, bad faith claims, toxic torts, wrongful death and maritime litigation. Since his admission to practice in Louisiana in 2015, he has taken hundreds of depositions, including those of experts with a wide range of distinct areas of expertise. 

    Education

    • Southern University Law Center (J.D., 2015)
      • cum laude
    • Louisiana State University (B.A. Political Science, 2012)

    Bar Admissions

    • Louisiana

    Court Admissions

    • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Louisiana

    Professional Affiliations

    • Louisiana State Bar Association
    • Louisiana Association of Defense Counsel
    • New Orleans Bar Association

Zachary P. Fickes

Silas and Fickes Secure Dismissal for Insurer Under Amended Louisiana Direct Action Statute

Kimberly Silas (Of Counsel-New Orleans) and Zachary Fickes (Associate-New Orleans) secured dismissal in the Nineteenth Judicial District Court, East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana, on behalf of an insurance company. The case turned on Louisiana’s recently amended Direct Action statute; the bill prohibits a plaintiff from asserting a direct claim against a defendant’s insurer absent certain circumstances. The amended law took effect on August 1, 2024, but it failed to specify whether it applied retroactively. The plaintiffs named our client in a lawsuit filed on July 25, 2024, six days before the amended statute went into effect, providing the plaintiffs an arguable basis to assert that the insurer was properly named. Despite Kimberly and Zack’s arguments for retroactive application, the plaintiffs refused numerous requests to dismiss the insurer. However, upon their filing of an exception of no cause of action based on the amended statute, the plaintiffs promptly agreed to the dismissal, executing a partial motion to dismiss Wilson Elser’s client without prejudice. 

Kimberly R. Silas and Zachary P. Fickes