John P. Zelbst

John P. Zelbst is a partner at Zelbst Holmes & Butler, located in Lawton, Oklahoma. Focusing his practice on personal injury litigation, he represents plaintiffs throughout the state and around the country who have been harmed through the negligent or wrongful acts of others in matters involving medical malpractice, defective products, motor vehicle accidents and other similar cases. With a reputation as a zealous litigator, John Zelbst and his firm have obtained numerous large settlements and verdicts for his clients during his career, including the largest known personal injury verdict in Oklahoma in a highly publicized case. He has also provided successful criminal defense representation to clients who have been tried on murder and manslaughter charges.

After receiving his Bachelor of Arts from Cameron University in 1976, Mr. Zelbst attended the University of Tulsa School of Law and was awarded his Juris Doctor in 1980. Admitted to practice in Oklahoma, he is also admitted to practice before numerous federal courts, including the U.S. District Courts for the Western, Eastern and Northern Districts of Oklahoma; the U.S. District Courts for the Northern and Eastern Districts of Texas; the U.S. District Courts for the Eastern and Western Districts of Arkansas; the U.S. Courts of Appeals for the 5th and 10th Circuits; the U.S. Court of Federal Claims and the U.S. Supreme Court.

Highly regarded by his fellow attorneys for his accomplishments, Mr. Zelbst has received an AV Preeminent peer-review rating* through Martindale-Hubbell. He is an active participant in several professional organizations, including the American Board of Trial Advocates, the Comanche County Bar Association and the American Association for Justice. A native of Oklahoma, Mr. Zelbst's many civic contributions include his service as a member of the board of trustees of Comanche County Memorial Hospital and his appointment by the state's governor to serve on the Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Commission.

*AV Preeminent and BV Distinguished are certification marks of Reed Elsevier Properties Inc., used in accordance with the Martindale-Hubbell certification procedures, standards and policies. Martindale-Hubbell is the facilitator of a peer review rating process. Ratings reflect the confidential opinions of members of the bar and the judiciary. Martindale-Hubbell ratings fall into two categories: legal ability and general ethical standards.