About AKZ

Adkins, Kelston & Zavez, P.C. is a national progressive class action law firm that evaluates and prosecutes complex consumer cases against insurance companies, fossil fuel companies, polluters, food companies, and other large businesses engaged in wrongdoing. We were founded in 1997 by Harvard Law School graduates to pursue justice in the courts and before federal and state agencies and institutions on behalf of classes of consumers and to achieve public interest reforms in wayward industries.

AKZ has served as lead counsel, and collaborated with other prominent firms, in dozens of major cases, successfully returning hundreds of millions of dollars directly to millions of consumers. This included leading the national reform effort challenging mutual insurance companies’ unfair policy-dividend practices, as well as conversions and demutualizations that were unfair to the millions of policyholder-owners we represented. The preservation of and/or fair distribution of over $200 billion for policyholders of mutual insurance companies was accomplished by successfully employing regulatory, public policy, media and litigation strategies. We are currently working on strategies to press insurers to utilize their critical role in addressing the climate crisis.

We also focus on challenging copyright infringement (representing copyright holders), food manufacturers (for mislabeling, and adulteration), polluters (for a major coastal oil spill, and wetland protection), companies engaged in greenwashing (making false pro-environment claims), life insurers that underpay policy dividends, and governmental agencies (when they aid and abet companies they were charged with overseeing).

Many of the firm’s class action and individual clients could not otherwise afford legal representation; we represent them on a contingency basis, meaning the firm advances the costs of litigation and is paid only if it achieves a recovery for its clients.

Our Focus

Prosecuting class actions against large corporations in such areas as consumer fraud, food mislabeling, cyber privacy, and environmental pollution.

Representing insurance policyholders nationwide by challenging improper insurance company mergers, acquisitions and reorganizations, including challenges to stock conversions by mutual insurance companies (a process known as “demutualization”) and mutual insurance holding company reorganizations.

Litigating commercial matters (on an hourly fee basis or as otherwise agreed) such as business and partnership disputes, intellectual property, copyright enforcement, landlord-tenant matters, and routine matters.

Fees and Policy

We know that the decision to hire a lawyer can be difficult. Therefore, we are committed to taking the stress out of hiring a lawyer. We do this by first reviewing your case without charge. If we are able to take your case, we will represent you on a contingent fee basis, which means:

• We will pay all of the out-of-pocket expenses from your case
• If there is a recovery, we will be paid attorneys’ fees and expenses out of the recovery
• If there is no recovery, we will not be paid fees or expenses – it will cost you nothing
• If we are unable to take your case, you are free to consult with another attorney of your choice
• We also represent clients on an individual basis on an hourly-rate basis or as otherwise negotiated.

Firm Affiliations

Adkins, Kelston & Zavez, P.C. works with prominent national and local law firms around the country to identify and litigate complex matters on behalf of consumers and other clients.