A veteran Hudson County attorney that primarily operated out of his office in North Bergen has died suddenly at the age of 52, friend and family revealed this evening.Â
“It is with great sadness and heavy hearts that we inform you that our dear friend and member of our SHCCNJ #familia, Louis A. Zayas, Esq., has passed away,” the Statewide Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey posted on Facebook.
“Graduated with a JD Law from the University of Virginia School of Law, and a former New York prosecutor and trial lawyer with over 100 trials in New York, New Jersey and Florida, Louis Zayas, founded â€Zayas Law Firm†in 1996, and dedicated his career to helping individuals in a wide variety of complicated civil and criminal litigation.”
Zayas had been extremely successful in going head-to-head with local municipalities and elected officials, in recent years netting $1.2 million for 15 clients suing West New York Mayor Felix Roque’s administration and scoring a $700,000 settlement for former Hoboken Housing Authority Executive Director Carmelo Garcia.
“Today we lost a great man! My good friend Louis Zayas was not only one of the area’s top lawyers and a warrior in the courtroom where he fought to help the helpless, protect the victimized, bring justice to the abused,” wrote Hudson County Clerk E. Junior Maldonado.
“He was a gentlemen’s gentleman. A true friend. But most of all he was a caring husband, a dedicated son and a truly loving father! He will be deeply missed! My sincerest and heartfelt condolences to his entire family! May he rest in eternal peace at the side of our Good Lord!!”
Zayas, a former New York prosecutor, had been battling cancer for months, and despite undergoing a rigorous chemotherapy treatment schedule, continued to work until his final days.