Philip D. Nizialek is a partner in the Firm, specializing in litigation of complex oil and gas and maritime insurance coverage issues. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1974 from the State University of New York at Stony Brook and his Juris Doctor, summa cum laude, from South Texas College of Law in 1991. Mr. Nizialek is an Associate Member of the Maritime Law Association, and a Founding Member of the South Texas Insurance Forum.

Mr. Nizialek primarily represents policy holders in complex insurance coverage disputes. He has extensive experience both opining on coverage questions and litigating those questions in the state and federal courts of Louisiana and Texas. Mr. Nizialek’s experience as a risk manager and insurance professional in the oil and gas and maritime industries prior to receiving his law degree allows him to bring a practical, business oriented approach to insurance coverage problems. Moreover, Mr. Nizialek has extensive experience in interpreting oil and gas “package” policies, including all forms of well control insurance. He has also assisted policy holders in resolving complicated environmental liability claims with their insurers and has litigated coverage questions with regard to both offshore and onshore damage to oil and gas facilities as a result of Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Ike.

Mr. Nizialek also represents policy holders in insurer receivership actions; particularly involving “net worth” issues, and has extensive knowledge of reinsurance issues, including negotiation of reinsurance commutations.

Year Admitted to Practice: 1991

Education: State University of New York at Stony Brook, B.A. 1974; South Texas College of Law, J.D., summa cum laude 1991

Affiliations: 

Mr. Nizialek is a Member of the Maritime Law Association, Houston Bar Association and the South Texas Insurance Forum.

Bar Admissions: All Louisiana and Texas State and Federal Courts; United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit

Publications: 

Oilfield Anti Indemnity Statutes (co-authorized with Lyle Rathwell) 2007; Contractual Risk Transfer, Portfolio of the International Risk Management Institute; Insurance Matters in the Oil & Gas Industry: Coverage for Louisiana and Texas E & P Exposures; Oil & Gas Seminar of the Professional Landsman’s Association of New Orleans (2008).

Click here for a list of representative transactions for Philip D. Nizialek