Jason Gonzalez is the Managing Partner of the Tallahassee office of Shutts & Bowen LLP and is Chairman of the Firm's Appellate Practice Group.
Jason is an experienced appellate and litigation attorney and regularly consults on executive branch government affairs. He represents businesses and state agencies in state and federal courts in contracts, government procurements, insurance disputes, class actions, tort defense, banking, finance, professional licenses and elections matters.
Recently, Jason advocated for business association clients in two amicus briefs filed before the Florida Supreme Court, supporting the adoption of the federal summary judgment standard, a development widely viewed as the most significant Florida civil justice system reform in the modern era. In 2019, Florida Politics reported that Jason was representing parties in more pending civil cases at the Florida Supreme Court than any other attorney in the State.
Over the course of his career, Jason has been at the forefront of emerging legal developments, helping to shape Florida’s justice system. Jason was the chief advisor to the Governor on the appointment of 64 Florida judges and four Florida Supreme Court Justices. The Tampa Bay Times notes that he “has played a historic role in the shaping of Florida's Supreme Court.” Jason has also served as Chairman of the First District Court of Appeals Judicial Nominating Commission and Chairman of the Second Judicial Circuit Judicial Nominating Commission, as well as two terms as General Counsel and former Executive Board Member of the Republican Party of Florida. Prior to joining Shutts, Jason served as General Counsel to the Florida Governor and as Gubernatorial Appointee to the Florida Supreme Court Judicial Nominating Commission.
In 2010, Jason served as lead counsel for Transocean Ltd. in its Florida Panhandle litigation and regulatory matters immediately following the explosion and sinking of the Deepwater Horizon. Over a two-year period, Jason successfully obtained orders dismissing or removing every one of the more than 70 individual and class action lawsuits filed against Transocean in Florida.
Credentials
Education
- University of Florida, J.D., 1998
- University of Florida, B.S.B.A., with honors, 1995
Bar Admissions
- Florida
Court Admissions
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida
- U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida
Media Mentions
- Takeaways from Tallahassee - “Shutts & Bowen lawyer keeps busy: Jason Gonzalez … now is the lawyer with the most active civil cases before the Florida Supreme Court,” FloridaPolitics.com (Nov. 2, 2019)
- Jason Gonzalez quoted in “Prominent Attorney Move to Shutts & Bowen, Latest Sign of Major Shift in Florida’s Legal Landscape,” Sunshine State News (Aug. 23, 2019)
- Jason Gonzalez named as one of the “Winners of the Week in Florida Politics,” Tampa Bay Times (Jan. 27, 2019)
- Jason Gonzalez credited during the Florida judicial appointment process in “Guru Jason Gonzalez and SSN Nailed Supreme Court Picks in September” Sunshine State News (Dec. 3, 2016)
- Jason Gonzalez comments on appointments in “Three Leading Florida Supreme Court Contenders Named Already,” Sunshine State News (Sept. 12, 2016)
- The Buzz: Florida Politics - "Jason Gonzalez...has played a historic role in the shaping of Florida's Supreme Court,” Tampa Bay Times (June 5, 2009)
News & Insights
News & Speaking Engagements
Practice Areas
Accolades
- Selected as Florida Counsel by Transocean, owner of the Deepwater Horizon following the BP Oil Spill
- Florida Super Lawyers, 2011, 2012 and 2013
- Florida Trend Legal Elite, 2008, 2015; Appellate and Government Practice, 2016 – 2018; Appellate Practice, 2020, 2021
- Florida Supreme Court Judicial Nominating Commission, 2007 – 2008
- First District Court of Appeals Judicial Nominating Commission, 2004 – 2007, Chairman 2006 – 2007
- Second Circuit Judicial Nominating Commission, 2001 – 2004, Chairman 2003 – 2004