Carlos A. Zelaya, II received his law degree from American University ’s Washington College of Law in 1992.  Prior to joining the firm, Carlos practiced appellate advocacy in Washington, D.C. before returning to his native Louisiana where he practiced in a high-volume civil litigation firm representing clients in automobile and truck accident cases, oyster-lease damage claims, asbestos and toxic chemical exposure cases, and noise-induced hearing loss claims.

Carlos has successfully represented clients through trials and appeals in courts throughout Louisiana .  Some of Carlos’s reported cases include:

• Lyons v. Progressive Ins. Co., 2003-2163 (La. App. 4 Cir. 7/21/04), 881 So. 2d 124;
• Pierce v. Reilly-Benton, Inc., 2002-2253 (La. App. 4 Cir. 4/16/03), 846 So. 2d 143;
• Hernandez v. State, ex rel. Dept. of Transp. and Development, 2002-0162 (La. App. 4 Cir. 10/16/02), 841 So. 2d 808;
• Updegraff v. State, ex rel. Dept. of Transp. and Development, 2001-1048 (La. App. 4 Cir. 10/2/02), 828 So. 2d 693;
• Bowes v. Bowes, 2000-1062 (La. App. 4 Cir. 8/15/01), 798 So. 2d 996;
• Matlock v. State, ex rel. Dept. of Transp. and Development, 2000-0350 (La. App. 4 Cir. 2/21/01), 782 So. 2d 100;
• Evans v. Nogues, 1999-2761 (La. App. 4 Cir. 9/13/00), 775 So. 2d 471.

Carlos is admitted to practice in the State of Louisiana (1994) and the Commonwealth of Virginia (1993).  He is also admitted to practice before the United States Court of Federal Claims and the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana.  Carlos has been admitted to practice pro hac vice before the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi, the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida, the First Judicial Circuit Court for Walton County, Florida, and the 45th District Court for the County of Bexar, Texas .

Carlos’s practice areas include complex and class action litigation, commercial litigation, environmental and toxic torts, occupational diseases, and noise-induced hearing loss.

Email: czelaya@fgmapleslaw.com

Phone: (504) 569-8732

Fax: (504) 525-6932