Joseph A. Ziemianski

Co-Chair, Global Insurance Department

Recent News:

Joe Ziemianski Named to the Industry Advisory Board of the Institute for Risk Management and Insurance Innovation at UNC Chapel Hill

Joe Ziemianski, co-chair of the firm’s Global Insurance Department, has been named to the Industry Advisory Board of the Institute for Risk Management and Insurance Innovation (IRMII) at the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill.

Joseph's practice concentrates on insurance coverage and bad faith litigation involving a wide array of first- and third-party claims including professional liability, pollution, food contamination, pharmaceutical products, construction defect litigation, advertising injury, and medical devices. He has acted as lead counsel in many high-profile insurance coverage suits across the United States. Joe also devotes a significant portion of his practice to counseling clients on evaluating and reducing risk on complex liability and coverage issues including the defense of insureds in high stakes litigation. Joe has handled the defense of complex litigation, including multiple MDLs, involving refinery explosions and contaminated products. He is AV rated by his peers and has been recognized by Chambers and Partners USA in Insurance-Texas (2019-2024). He has also been recognized as a Super Lawyer and "Top Lawyer in Texas" (2011-2023) in the area of insurance coverage litigation.

Joe serves on the firm’s Board of Directors, the Management Committee, and the Shareholders Compensation Committee. 

Joe is a member of numerous professional organizations, including the Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel as well as the Defense Research Institute, the American Bar Association, Insurance Coverage and Tort Committees, and the State Bar of Texas, Insurance Coverage Section. Joe is an elected Fellow of the American College of Coverage Counsel, an organization committed to the creative, ethical, and efficient adjudication of coverage and extracontractual disputes. He was also named to Best Lawyers in America for Litigation-Insurance.

Joe earned his Bachelor of Science from the University of Southern Mississippi in 1982, where he graduated with highest honors, and his law degree, cum laude, from Tulane University in 1987. During the 1985-86 academic year, Joe was a Fulbright Scholar at the University of Warsaw Law Institute in Poland. 

News

Joe Ziemianski Named to the Industry Advisory Board of the Institute for Risk Management and Insurance Innovation at UNC Chapel Hill

October 03, 2024

Joe Ziemianski, co-chair of the firm’s Global Insurance Department, has been named to the Industry Advisory Board of the Institute for Risk Management and Insurance Innovation (IRMII) at the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill.

Best Lawyers Honors More Than 200 Cozen O'Connor Attorneys in its Best Lawyers in America 2025 Edition

August 15, 2024

Best Lawyers selected 242 Cozen O’Connor lawyers from 24 of the firm’s U.S. offices for inclusion in the 2025 edition of The Best Lawyers in America and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America.

Nearly 100 Cozen O’Connor Lawyers, 27 Practices Earn Top Recognition in Chambers USA 2024 Guide

June 10, 2024

Chambers USA rankings are based on an “assessment of a firm’s work and opinions from external market sources, with an emphasis on client feedback.” In order to be ranked in the guide, lawyers and firms must demonstrate “sustained excellence.”

Two Cozen O’Connor Attorneys Named 2023 Texas Super Lawyers

September 19, 2023

HOUSTON, September 18, 2023 – Two Cozen O’Connor attorneys were named 2023 Texas Super Lawyers. Joseph A. Ziemianski and Stephen P. Pate were recognized for Insurance Coverage.

Best Lawyers Honors More Than 200 Cozen O'Connor Attorneys to its Best Lawyers in America 2024 Edition

August 17, 2023

Best Lawyers selected 232 Cozen O’Connor lawyers from 24 of the firm’s U.S. offices for inclusion in the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America.

Legal 500 Recognizes Six Cozen O’Connor Practice Areas and 16 Attorneys in its 2023 Guide

July 10, 2023

Cozen O'Connor's Aviation (Litigation/Regulation), Construction, L&E, M&A (Midmarket), Shipping (Finance and Litigation/Regulation) practices were ranked by the Legal 500.

Eighty-eight Cozen O’Connor Lawyers, 23 Practices Earn Top Recognition in Chambers USA 2023 Guide

June 05, 2023

Of the 88 lawyers ranked, 17 lawyers have been recognized nationally, and eighteen were recognized in Band 1. Eight of the firm's practice areas have been recognized nationally, and nine were ranked Band 1.

More Than 200 Cozen O’Connor Attorneys Named Best Lawyers and Ones to Watch

August 22, 2022

210 Cozen O’Connor lawyers from 24 of the firm’s nationwide offices for inclusion in the 2023 edition of The Best Lawyers in America.

Chambers Ranks 86 Cozen O’Connor Lawyers, 22 Practice Areas in Chambers USA 2022 Guide

June 02, 2022

Chambers USA, the leading annual guide to the top lawyers and law firms in the United States, has ranked 86 Cozen O’Connor lawyers as leaders in their respective fields in the guide’s 2022 edition.

Cozen O’Connor Announces Changes to Firm Management 2022

March 23, 2022

Cozen O’Connor is pleased to announce the following changes in firm leadership positions for the 2022 year.

Two Cozen O’Connor attorneys Named 2021 Texas Super Lawyers

October 04, 2021

Two Cozen O’Connor Attorneys were named 2021 Texas Super Lawyers.

More Than 205 Cozen O’Connor Attorneys Named Best Lawyers and Ones to Watch By The Best Lawyers In America

August 19, 2021

Best Lawyers selected 210 Cozen O’Connor lawyers from 23 of the firm’s nationwide offices for inclusion in the 2022 edition of The Best Lawyers in America.

82 Cozen O’Connor Lawyers, 19 Practices Earn Top Recognition in Chambers USA 2021 Guide

May 26, 2021

Chambers USA, the leading annual guide to the top lawyers and law firms in the United States, has ranked 82 Cozen O’Connor lawyers as leaders in their respective fields in the guide’s 2021 edition; of those, 15 lawyers have been recognized nationally.

Four Cozen O’Connor Attorneys Recognized as 2020 Texas Super Lawyers

September 24, 2020

Cozen O’Connor attorneys David L. Barron, Stephen P. Pate, A. Martin Wickliff, Jr., and Joseph A. Ziemianski were named 2020 Texas Super Lawyers.

200 Cozen O’Connor Attorneys Named Best Lawyers and Ones to Watch By The Best Lawyers In America

August 20, 2020

Best Lawyers selected 200 Cozen O’Connor lawyers from 23 of the firm’s nationwide offices for inclusion in the 2021 edition of The Best Lawyers in America© (Copyright 2020 by Woodward/White, Inc., of Aiken, SC).

Joseph Ziemianski Named Fellow of the American Bar Foundation

July 30, 2020

Joseph Ziemianski, co-chair of the firm’s Global Insurance Department, has been named a fellow of the American Bar Foundation.

63 Cozen O’Connor Lawyers, 16 Practices Earn Top Recognition in Chambers USA 2020 Guide

May 14, 2020

Chambers USA, the leading annual guide to the top lawyers and law firms in the United States, has ranked 63 Cozen O’Connor lawyers as leaders in their respective fields in the guide’s 2020 edition.

Publications

Hurricane Laura: What Can Insurers Expect with Claims in Texas and Louisiana? [Alert]

September 02, 2020

Joseph A. Ziemianski, Melissa Brill, Alycen A. Moss, Stephen P. Pate, and Paul C. Ferland discuss what insurers can expect based on prior hurricanes.

Property Insurance Coverage Issues Associated with COVID-19 [Alert]

March 16, 2020

Joe Ziemianski, Melissa Brill, Alycen Moss, Stephen Pate, and Paul Ferland discuss how courts have analyzed and applied first-party property policies for these types of non-physical losses, potential coverage under a civil authority provision, and pollution/contamination exclusions.

Fifth Circuit: Covenant Not to Execute is a Settlement — Relieves Primary Insurer of Duty to Defend [Alert]

November 18, 2019

Joe Ziemianski and Bryan Vezey discuss what primary and excess insurers in Louisiana and Texas need to know following the decision in Aggreko, L.L.C. v. Chartis Specialty Ins. Co.

Ninth Circuit (California): Hamas Attacks on Israel Do Not Trigger the War Exclusions [Alert]

July 22, 2019

Joe Ziemianski, Irene Yesowitch, and Sam Stalker discuss the Circuit Court's decision in Universal Cable Prods., LLC v. Atlantic Specialty Ins. Co. and what it means for insurers in and out of California.

Ultimate Game-Changer? Concussion-Related Injuries and Litigation

April 01, 2017

Joe Ziemianski and Andrea Cortland, of Cozen O'Connor's Global Insurance department, co-authored an article for FDCC Insights titled, "Ultimate Game-Changer? Concussion-Related Injuries and Litigation."

Events & Seminars

Past Events

2015 Casualty & Specialty Products Seminar

November 19, 2015 - New York, NY

London Power Forum 2014

November 13, 2014 - London, UK

Cozen O'Connor's 2013 New York Litigation Seminar

February 12, 2013 - New York, NY

PLRB/LIRB 2011 Claims Conference

April 03, 2011 - Nashville, TN

Industry Sectors

Education

  • Tulane University Law School, J.D., cum laude, 1987
  • University of Southern Mississippi, B.S., 1982

Awards & Honors

Chambers and Partners USA: Texas: Insurance 2019-2024

Best Lawyers in America 2016-2025

Texas Super Lawyers 2011-2023

Expert Guides: Insurance & Reinsurance

  • Mississippi
  • Texas
  • Mississippi Supreme Court
  • Texas Supreme Court
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
  • U.S. District Court -- Eastern District of Texas
  • U.S. District Court -- Northern District of Mississippi
  • U.S. District Court -- Northern District of Texas
  • U.S. District Court -- Southern District of Mississippi
  • U.S. District Court -- Southern District of Texas
  • U.S. District Court -- Western District of Texas
  • American Bar Association
  • Defense Research Institute
  • State Bar of Texas
  • American College of Coverage Counsel
  • Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel 
  • American Bar Foundation, Fellow
  • Institute for Risk Management and Insurance Innovation, Industry Advisory Board