Carlos A. Zelaya II

Partner

Office: Chalmette, LA (Greater New Orleans)

Carlos Zelaya leads Aylstock, Witkin, Kreis & Overholtz's Louisiana Personal Injury Division, bringing more than three decades of trial and appellate experience to the firm's growing personal injury practice. Carlos began his career in appellate advocacy in Washington, D.C. before returning to his native Louisiana, where he built a practice representing plaintiffs in automobile and truck accident cases, toxic exposure and environmental contamination claims, and bad-faith insurance disputes. His practice has since expanded to complex commercial litigation and constitutional takings matters.

Carlos has represented clients through trials and appeals in state and federal courts across Louisiana and beyond, including reported decisions before the Louisiana Fourth Circuit Court of Appeal, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, in matters spanning oyster-lease damage claims, industrial noise-induced hearing loss, and environmental contamination following Hurricane Katrina. He has also written and spoken widely on climate and environmental litigation, including presentations to the American Bar Association and the American Association of Law Schools.

In addition to his litigation practice, Carlos has taught at Tulane Law School since 2013, including in the school's Intersession Program and, since 2019, as a member of the Trial Advocacy faculty. He began teaching negotiation and mediation at Tulane in 2024.