Ronald P. "Ron" Ponzoli, Jr. Attorney At Law

Ron is the managing shareholder of GrayRobinson’s West Palm Beach law firm office and he leads the firm’s Religious Organizations Team. He focuses his practice on business and commercial litigation, catastrophic personal injury and wrongful death actions, partnership and shareholder disputes, complex tort litigation, construction defect actions and defending religious organizations.

Ron served ten years as an elected member of The Florida Bar Board of Governors. He is a past president of the North County Section of the Palm Beach County Bar Association, a past chair of the Palm Beach County Bar Association’s Professionalism Committee and is an emeritus member of the Craig S. Barnard American Inn of Court.

• Areas of Emphasis
  • Corporate and Business Litigation
  • Church Law
  • Shareholder Disputes
  • Partnership Disputes
  • Complex Civil Litigation
  • Construction Defects
• Education
  • Lafayette College, A.B. (magna cum laude with departmental honors in Government and Law)
  • University of Miami School of Law, J.D. (cum laude)
• Admissions
  • Florida
  • U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida
  • U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida
• Professional Associations and Memberships
  • The Florida Bar
    • Former elected member of the Board of Governors
    • Past Chair of the Disciplinary Procedure Committee
    • Past Chair of the Fourth District Court of Appeal Judicial Nominating Commission Screening Committee 
    • Past Chair of the Disciplinary Procedures Committee 
  • Palm Beach County Bar Association
    • Past President of the North County Section
    • Past Chair of the Professionalism Committee
  • Craig S. Barnard American Inn of Court, Emeritus Member
• Awards and Recognitions
  • AV Preeminent® rated by Martindale-Hubbell
  • Best Lawyers in America, Commercial Litigation, 2013-2025
  • Florida Super Lawyers, 2016-2024
  • The Florida Bar, Tony Boggs Excellence in Discipline Award, 2021
  • The Florida Bar, "Excellence in Writing Award" Finalist, 2003
• Articles and Publications
  • "Florida’s Unincorporated Not-For-Profit Religious Associations," Religious Organizations Legal Updates, April 2019 
  • "To Remove a Neighbor's Tree Roots or Not... That is The Question!" Religious Organizations Legal Updates, February 2019 
  • "Guns in Places of Worship? The Debate Continues," Religious Organizations Legal Updates, January 2019 
  • "Riparian Rights: Use and Enjoyment of Water Adjacent to Owned Property," Religious Organizations Legal Updates, January 2019
  • "Benefits of Hiring an Independent Contractor to Make Church Repairs," Religious Organizations Legal Updates, January 2019  
  • "Trip and Falls: Who Do We Need to Protect, and How?" Religious Organizations Legal Updates, November 2018
  • "The Ministerial Exception," Religious Organizations Legal Updates, May 2017
  • "Attorney fee-shifting in Florida," Insurance Day November 2013
  • "Opinion on ministerial exception may have a downside in Florida," Daily Business Review, January 2012
  • "Does the new hate crimes act affect how pastors preach the gospel?" Church Executive, February 2010
  • "When courts can resolve church property disputes," Church Solutions, January 2008
  • "Could a hate crimes law stifle religious practice and dissent?" Church Executive, September 2007
  • "A Rock Solid Foundation for the wall of separation between church and state in employment decisions concerning clergy," Florida Bar Journal, October 2004
• Presentations and Seminars
  • "Navigating the Road After the Florida Bar Exam," Faith and Law Around the Globe Webinar, October 29, 2020
  • "Re-Opening Your Religious Organization: Preparing for New Ways of Worship and Service," COVID-19 Conversations Webinar Series, June 23, 2020