Paul Donnelly

Paul is the Firm Leader. In early 2022, Paul was named “Litigator of the Week” by The American Lawyer for his First Amendment victory against the University of Florida. The firm has grown considerably under his leadership and is consistently recognized as one of the state’s elite labor and employment law firms. The 2025 edition of Best Law Firms^® recognized Donnelly + Gross with four Tier 1 rankings in Jacksonville: Employment Law – Individuals, Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Union, and Litigation – Labor and Employment. Best Law Firms^® is the leading survey of attorneys worldwide, providing a comprehensive view of the legal industry in the United States.

Every day, he thinks, reads, writes and works on behalf of his clients so they can focus on other aspects of their business. He provides clients preventative counseling to minimize risks through best practices and issue spotting. With his extensive experience representing clients in virtually every aspect of labor and employment law, he oversees the firm’s litigation and alternative dispute resolution teams.

He leads the firm in protecting small businesses, national corporations, professionals, and highly paid executives on employment law issues. In the public sector, he represents first responders and other government employee unions, 501(c)3 benevolent organizations and pension funds. He is also an arbitrator and has served as Adjunct Professor teaching Trial Practice skills to senior students at the University of Florida Levin College of Law.

Paul serves on the Board of Governors and is a Fellow in the College of Labor & Employment Lawyers, which is the highest peer-reviewed distinction in the field. Best Lawyers^® recognized him as “Lawyer of the Year” for union law in the Jacksonville Metropolitan Area for 2024. Since 2007, he has been recognized as a Best Lawyer in America by US News-Best Lawyers®. He holds an “AV pre-eminent” rating, the highest rating for competence and ethics, from Martindale Hubbell. He is also recognized as a 2025 Florida Super Lawyer. He has served as a Governor-appointed member and the Chair of the Judicial Nominating Commission for the Eighth Judicial Circuit and as a member and Chair of The Florida Bar’s local Grievance Committee.