Member

Zachary M. VanVactor

502-681-0316

Zack VanVactor is an attorney in the firm’s Louisville and Jeffersonville offices. He is a member of the Business Litigation Service Group.

Recent Assignments

Successfully defeated efforts to certify a collective action under the Fair Labor Standards Act in litigation in the Eastern District of Kentucky.

Secured dismissal of Fair Credit Reporting Act claims against lender in Georgia.

Won complete defense verdict in bench trial in Clark County, Indiana, on claims for breach of service contract.

Successfully obtained summary judgment in Pike County, Kentucky, on breach of fiduciary duty, civil conspiracy, and other claims against national lender, and thereafter successfully defended that judgment on appeal before the Kentucky Court of Appeals and the Kentucky Supreme Court.

Won summary judgment on behalf of regional airline in Boone County, Kentucky.

Secured dismissal of class action claims filed in federal court against portable building manufacturer.

Won monetary judgment for full amount of damages sought for unpaid home improvement costs in bench trial in Jefferson County, Indiana.

Secured dismissal of Fair Credit Reporting Act claims against financing company in the Western District of Kentucky.

Won complete dismissal of claims against two multinational pharmaceutical companies asserting theories of strict products liability, defective design, failure to warn, and negligence in the Western District of Kentucky.

Defeated the plaintiff’s request for injunctive relief and obtained dismissal of complaint alleging breach of contract and tortious interference against multinational alcoholic beverage distributor in federal court action.

Secured dismissal of claims for age and race discrimination filed with the Illinois Department of Human Rights against trucking and logistics company.

Obtained dismissal of arbitration claims alleging breach of contract and violations of the Kentucky Consumer Protection Act on behalf of large regional bank.

Served as co-lead trial counsel and successfully obtained complete defense verdict on behalf of an aviation company in Valparaiso, Indiana.

Served as co-lead trial counsel in defense of Kentucky Consumer Protection Act and other claims in Louisville, Kentucky, which resulted in favorable jury verdict awarding only 1.5% of the plaintiff’s requested damages.

Defeated attempt by a Canadian corporation to domesticate an invalid Nova Scotia judgment in Jefferson County, Kentucky, which was subsequently affirmed in a published decision by the Kentucky Court of Appeals.

Obtained complete dismissal of claims for breach of contract and alleged violations of the FDCPA in Jefferson County, Kentucky, on behalf of national loan servicer.

Won dismissal of claims before the Indiana Civil Rights Commission asserting discrimination and Fair Housing Act claims against a multifamily property owner.

Successfully obtained dismissal of third-party tortious interference and breach of contract claims in the Western District of Kentucky on behalf of large regional banking institution.

Prosecuted claims on behalf of multifamily property owner resulting in a judgment awarding the full amount sought for damage to the owner’s apartment complex.

Obtained dismissal of claims including trademark infringement, tortious interference, and alleged violations of the Defend Trade Secrets Act and the Kentucky Uniform Trade Secrets Act in both the Western District of Kentucky and the District of South Dakota on behalf of companies specializing in providing technology platforms and custodial services for cryptocurrencies.

Successfully defended multiple actions for injunctive relief against a small business owner in Floyd County, Indiana.

Won dismissal of administrative appeal filed in the Western District of Kentucky on behalf of regional airport authority.

Prevailed in appeal before the Kentucky Court of Appeals and Kentucky Supreme Court in enforcing a settlement agreement on behalf of a national banking institution.

Won summary judgment on claims of breach of good faith and fair dealing and violations of RESPA and TILA in three separate, related cases in Jessamine Circuit Court, Kentucky, on behalf of loan servicer.

Successfully defended appeal before the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals on behalf of regional airport authority.

Appeared on behalf of physician before the Indiana Board of Medical Licensure and secured reinstatement of physician’s medical license.

Successfully defended administrative appeal before the Indiana Court of Appeals and Indiana Supreme Court on behalf of a local zoning board.

Won appeal before the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals affirming summary judgment on fraud claims asserted against large regional banking institution.

Obtained dismissal of Kentucky Consumer Protection Act, fraud, conversion, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and tortious interference claims in the Eastern District of Kentucky on behalf of national loan servicer.

Prevailed in defense of fair housing discrimination claims brought against property owner before the Kentucky Commission on Human Rights.

Won dismissal of tortious interference claims against regional bank in the Western District of Kentucky.

Successfully defended appeal before the Indiana Court of Appeals on behalf of national mortgage loan servicer.

Obtained dismissal of breach of contract, fraud, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and unjust enrichment claims against lender in the Eastern District of Kentucky.

Successfully resolved appeal before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals arising under the Class Action Fairness Act on behalf of pharmaceutical distributor.

Obtained dismissal of breach of fiduciary duty and abuse of process claims filed against out-of-state attorney on grounds of lack of personal jurisdiction.

Successfully argued for and obtained judgment in favor of national mortgage servicer on counterclaims for abuse of process and breach of good faith and fair dealing filed by borrowers in foreclosure action in Grayson County, Kentucky.

Obtained dismissal of counterclaims for fraud and civil conspiracy in St. Joseph County, Indiana.

Successfully obtained judgment at bench trial on behalf of national mortgage servicer sued for violations of the Fair Credit Reporting Act in Morgan County, Indiana.

Obtained dismissal of breach of contract, breach of good faith and fair dealing, and negligent misrepresentation claims asserted against regional banking institution by commercial borrowers in federal court.

Obtained dismissal of federal action against state bar association in which the plaintiff asserted claims under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 as well as constitutional challenges to the state’s attorney-discipline system.

Bar Admissions

Indiana

Kentucky

U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit

U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit

U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit

U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit

U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois

U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado

U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky

U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia

U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois

U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana

U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois

U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana

U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky

U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee

Firm Leadership

Louisville Office Recruiting Committee, Member

Memberships

American Bar Association

,

Member

Kentucky Bar Association

,

Member

Louisville Bar Association

,

Member

Indiana Bar Association

,

Member

Community Involvement

Kentucky Bar Association, Communications & Publications Committee (2012-present)

Kentucky Bar Association, Young Lawyers Division Executive Committee, At-Large Representative (2019-20)

Louisville Bar Association Leadership Academy Planning Committee (2024)

Louisville Bar Association, Federal Practice Section, Co-Chair (2023)

Louisville Bar Association Leadership Academy (2016)

Leadership Kentucky: ELEVATE Kentucky (2018)

Education

J.D.,

2012

magna cum laude

Certificate in International and Comparative Law

Tulane University Law School

Org / Honor

Tulane Maritime Law Journal, Senior Managing Editor

Senior Writing Fellow, International LL.M. Program

Tulane Inn of Court

Admiralty Law Institute Award of Excellence

Robert B. Acomb Award for Most Outstanding Comment

Maritime Law Center Award for Most Outstanding Case Note

A.N. Yiannopoulous Award for Best Substance & Citation Editing

Study Abroad: Trinity College, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, England: Coursework in constitutional law with Justice Stephen G. Breyer, U.S. Supreme Court

Study Abroad: Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany: Certificate in Advanced Negotiation and Mediation (40 hours)

B.A., Economics with Departmental Honors,

B.A., Political Science

University of Kentucky

Org / Honor

Vandenbosch Writing Award

Phi Kappa Psi Fraternity

More Than Stites & Harbison

Before joining Stites & Harbison, Zack served for two years as a Law Clerk for the Honorable Thomas B. Russell, U.S. District Judge for the Western District of Kentucky. Prior to his clerkship, Zack served as a judicial intern to the Honorable Jennifer B. Coffman, U.S. District Judge for the Eastern & Western Districts of Kentucky. While attending law school at Tulane University, Zack worked as an admissions counselor for a charter high school in New Orleans, assisting high school seniors with all aspects of the college admissions process.

Accolades

Best Lawyers in America®, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants and Commercial Litigation (2022-25)

Best Lawyers in America®, Louisville Area Lawyer of the Year for Product Liability Litigation – Defendants (2024)

Best Lawyers in America®, Ones To Watch, Litigation – Banking & Finance (2021)

Kentucky Super Lawyers®, Rising Star (2017-22)