Kenneth B. Jacobs Attorney At Law

Ken is managing shareholder of GrayRobinson’s Jacksonville office. He is a commercial litigator with substantial experience representing debtors and creditors in bankruptcy cases and debt workouts. He has also arbitrated employment and commercial claims and has handled a wide range of employment issues, contract disputes, commercial lending matters and complex construction cases. Ken is rated AV, the highest professional rating available from the Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory, and he was named a "Jacksonville Top Lawyer" by 904 Magazine in addition to "Ultimate Attorney" in 2017 by the Jacksonville Business Journal in the business and litigation category.

His written work has appeared in various publications, including the Trial Lawyers Section of The Florida Bar’s The Advocate and Emory University School of Law’s Bankruptcy Developments Journal. He has also been a guest columnist on bankruptcy and employment issues for the Jacksonville Business Journal. Ken has been an instructor for various courses at the University of Florida’s College of Law, a speaker on various employment-related topics for the Miramar Human Resources Consortium and a guest speaker on construction law topics at seminars conducted by Law Engineering and Environmental Services.

• Background

  Ken obtained his bachelor’s from Duke University in 1989 with a double major in economics and computer science and his juris doctor from the University of Florida College of Law in 1992. He was a board member of the Florida Law Review and a state finalist on the Florida Trial Competition Team. 

• Education
  • Duke University, B.A., economics and computer science (1989)
  • University of Florida College of Law, J.D. (1992)
    • Board Member, Florida Law Review
    • State Finalist, Florida Trial Competition Team 
• Admissions
  • Florida
  • U.S District Court, Middle District of Florida
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of Florida
  • U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, 11th Circuit
• Professional Associations and Memberships
  • The Florida Bar
    • Business Law Section
    • Labor and Employment Section
  • Jacksonville Bar Association 
• Awards and Recognitions
  • AV Preeminent® rated by Martindale-Hubbell
  • Jacksonville Business Journal, Ultimate Attorney - Business and Litigation, 2017
  • Jacksonville Jewish Federation, , ,Young Leadership Award, 2011 
  • JCCs of North America "Next Generation" Leadership Award, 2000 
  • Jacksonville Business Journal’s Up and Comers Award, 2006
  • Jacksonville Top Lawyer, 904 Magazine
• Civic
  • Duke University, Jewish Life at Duke, Board Member, 2021
  • Leadership Florida, Cornerstone Class XXXVIII 
  • David A. Stein Jewish Community Alliance, Past President
  • Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce, Board of Governors
  • Downtown Council of the Chamber of Commerce, Past Secretary
  • Jacksonville Business Link, Past Chair
  • Congregation Ahavath Chesed, Vice President, Board of Trustees
  • Jacksonville Jewish Federation
    • President (2017-2019)
    • First Vice President and Campaign Chair (2015-2017)
    • Executive Committee
    • Board of Directors
  • Leadership Jacksonville, Class of 2005
  • JCC Association, Board of Directors
  • Synovus Bank, Board of Directors 
  • River Garden Foundation, Board of Directors
• Articles and Publications
  • Co-Author, "Cross-collateralization in the Wake of Shapiro v. Saybrook Manufacturing Co. (In re Saybrook Manufacturing Co.)," 9 Bankruptcy Developments Journal 503 (1993); 19 The Advocate 46, 1993
  • "Five Economical Steps to Fighting the Unemployment Compensation Claim," Firm Opinion, Winter 2002
  • "Recent Changes to Personal Bankruptcy Law," Banking and Financial Law Brief, Fall 2005
  • "Contesting Unemployment Claims Can Pay Off," Jacksonville Business Journal, July 7, 1994
  • "New Bankruptcy Changes a Cure for Debtors' Ill Intents," Jacksonville Business Journal, November 18, 2005
  • "New Unemployment Compensation Law Helps Employers Fight," Jacksonville Business Journal, January 20, 2012
• Presentations and Seminars
  • "When All Else Fails ... Litigate!", Law Engineering and Environmental Services' Roofing Seminar, March 2, 1995
  • "Interviewing Skills," Employment Law Seminar Series, January 16, 2002
  • "ADA Compliance," Employment Law Seminar Series, July 17, 2002
  • "Performance Appraisals," Employment Law Seminar Series, October 17, 2002
  • "Best Practices," Employment Law Seminar Series, May 21, 2003
  • "Document, Document, Document," Employment Law Seminar Series, July 10, 2003
  • "How Unemployment Works in Florida," Advanced Employment Law Roundtable Series, April 20, 2004
  • "Disciplinary and Termination Procedures," Employment Law Seminar Series, June 10, 2004
• Media
  • "Sunburn — The morning read of what’s hot in Florida politics — 9.18.23," Florida Politics, September 18, 2023
  • "Leader Insights | Legal Landscape," Invest: Jacksonville, 2022-2023 Edition