Name: Elizabeth Gonzalez
Age: N/A.
Family: My fiance, Adam Deli, four siblings: three brothers - older brother Ray; younger brothers Nelson & Juan; and one sister, Auri. I’m the second oldest. My mother, Luisa, and Father, Ramiro Gonzalez.
Pets: We adopted a Jack Russell Terrier from “Safe Pet Rescue” in Palatka in August, 2008. His name is “Jacksonville” and he’s three years old. He comes to work with us everyday—he’s the firm’s mascot.
Education: Salem State College, in Massachusetts - Major in Political Science, Minor in English. J.D. from Suffolk University Law School, Boston, Massachusetts.
Admitted to the Bar: February 2, 2007.
Employed by: Self employed since August 2007 under the “Law Office of Elizabeth Gonzalez, LLC” through March 1, 2010. Now partnered with my fiance and became: “Gonzalez & Deli, P.L.”
Field of practice: Personal injury, family law, criminal defense, bankruptcy, real property litigation, and wills & probate.
Professional Organizations:
American Bar Association, Jacksonville Bar Association (JBA), Jacksonville Hispanic Bar Association, Jacksonville Women Lawyers Association, First Coast Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and Puerto Rico Chamber of Commerce.
Community Involvement:
Volunteer with the Hispanic Bar Association and Jacksonville Area Legal Aid with the “Ask-A-Lawyer” program.
How did you get involved?
I make sure to keep informed of upcoming events in the legal community and when I learned that the Jacksonville Bar Association, Hispanic Bar Association and Jacksonville Area Legal Aid were organizing an “Ask-A-Lawyer” event, I contacted the organizations and offered to volunteer. Latino population growth in Jacksonville and its neighboring cities has increased drastically. Many Latinos come to Jacksonville for economic reasons—to seek work and financial stability. Their occupations range from unskilled labor to professions that require higher education or additional licensing. The inability to communicate fluently in English puts many at a disadvantage. It is important to me to help and assist.
How can someone else get involved?
Contact JALA or the Jacksonville Bar. Be willing to sacrifice your time for the greater good.
What have you learned/achieved through the experience?
I have learned that low-income Latino families endure an array of obstacles; they work long and odd hours and are unable to obtain adequate child care or transportation. These obstacles make it difficult to get an education, learn the English language and better themselves. Reaching their personal and economic goals becomes nearly impossible. Our practice bridges that gap by offering fully bilingual legal services.
What was the last book you read or are reading?
“Outrage: The Five Reasons Why O.J. Simpson Got Away With Murder,” by Vincent Bugliosi. I purchased the book for $1 at a local flea market.