D. Grayson Kelly
Partner | Tampa
gkelly@butler.legal
813-281-1900
About | Credentials | Media | Print | Share
D. Grayson (“Gray”) Kelly is a Partner in Butler’s Tampa office, where he focuses on first-party property insurance coverage disputes for admitted and surplus lines carriers in Florida state and federal courts — through trial and appeal.
Gray is a skilled and efficient litigator who has earned the respect of both his clients and opposing counsel. He was recognized on Best Lawyers’ “Ones to Watch” list every year from 2020 through 2025 and holds the AV Preeminent rating on Martindale-Hubbell — the highest peer rating available for legal ability and professional ethics.
Carriers trust Gray because he understands the unique pressures Florida’s insurance landscape creates. He works closely with clients to develop practical, cost-conscious strategies tailored to each file, and he maintains clear, consistent communication from the moment a file is opened through its resolution.
Gray’s background spans both sides of Florida’s legal market. After earning his J.D. from Florida International University College of Law and joining the Florida Bar in 2010, he built his early career at a boutique South Florida commercial litigation firm representing banks and financial institutions. He then moved into insurance defense, counseling multinational and regional insurers in first- and third-party coverage matters before joining Butler.
Gray is licensed in all Florida state and federal courts, the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, and North Carolina.
A native of North Carolina and proud Tar Heel, Gray earned his undergraduate degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from UNC-Chapel Hill. He lives in Tampa with his wife, Rachel, and their children, Carter and Annabelle. Outside the office, he’s an avid runner, a fixture on the youth soccer sidelines, and a coach for his kids’ basketball teams.
Admissions
- Florida
- North Carolina
Education
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Bachelor of Arts
- Florida International University College of Law
Doctor of Jurisprudence
Media
Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch – 2025 Edition
Join us in congratulating our attorneys who were recognized in the Best Lawyers – Ones to Watch 2025 publication! You can click on their bios above to learn more about each attorney. Recognition by Best Lawyers is based entirely on peer review. Their process is designed to capture, as accurately as possible, the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their coll...
Ones to Watch – 2024 Edition
Join us in congratulating our attorneys who were recognized in the 2024 Best Lawyers – Ones to Watch publication! Click on their icons to learn more. Recognition by Best Lawyers is based entirely on peer review. Their process is designed to capture, as accurately as possible, the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographic...
Butler Congratulates Our Newest Partners!
As we move into the new year, please join us in congratulating our firm’s newest Partners! You can learn more about them by clicking on their individual photos....
Litigating Tile Roof Claims
Hurricane Irma’s landfall in Florida produced an avalanche of property insurance claims throughout the state, the majority of which involved reported damage to roofs. Though many of these claims were legitimate, enterprising public adjusters, contractors, and other policyholder advocates presented claims for wind-damaged roofs when, in fact, no such damage existed. Predictably, these claims ...
Hurricane Ian Webinar Series Episode 2 – Litigating Tile Roof Claims
Our latest webinar series will inform you on issues that may arise during adjustment of Hurricane Ian claims. In the second part of this series, Partner Sarah Burke and Senior Associate Gray Kelly, along with Rimkus' Paul Marsenison, will provide a discussion on ways to navigate tile roof claims and avoid potential pitfalls. Learn the real truths versus the common myths of tile roof damages and r...
