• 1991, State of Florida
• United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida
• United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida
• United States Court of Appeals (11th Circuit)
• 2024, State of Tennessee

• Florida State University College of Law (J.D., 1990)
• Florida State University (B.A. 1988)

Noel McDonell

Noel McDonell is Of Counsel in Wicker Smith’s Nashville office. She concentrates her practice in commercial litigation, professional liability, transportation, construction and healthcare matters.

Noel has been a trial attorney for 35 years and represented a wide range of private, public, health care and non-profit clients in all aspects of litigation and appeals in state and federal court. She also has extensive experience in civil and criminal trial work emphasizing fraud and complex commercial and real estate transaction issues. Licensed in Florida, Noel has tried hundreds of jury and non-jury trials and appeals in both the criminal and civil arenas.

Prior to joining Wicker Smith, Noel acted as Lead Trial Attorney for the Office of the State Attorney and was appointed by the Attorney General to Senior Assistant Statewide Prosecutor in the Office of Statewide Prosecution, where she practiced throughout the state investigating and prosecuting complex white-collar criminal activity. She has extensive experience in corporate fraud detection and contractual fraud litigation. In addition to practicing law, Noel was appointed as Consumer Member of the Florida Real Estate Commission by Florida Governor Jeb Bush, and therefore appreciates an historic understanding of administrative law and professional licensure issues to protect the consumer. During her tenure in government practice, Noel was awarded the Davis Productivity Award for her efforts with the Governor’s Task Force on Identity Theft. She retired from these administrative law duties with the Commission upon becoming shareholder at a prestigious firm in 2005.

In the last decade, Noel’s focus has emphasized mentorship and teaching as an active co-creator of the ethics curriculum with The Florida Bar Advanced Trial Advocacy program where she has also been a regular speaker, moderator, and pupillage instructor for board certified trial attorneys since 2017. In addition to being a Martindale Hubbell AV-Preeminent trial lawyer, Noel was also named one of Florida Trend’s Legal Elite Top Attorneys; Tampa Bay Magazine’s Tampa Bay’s Top Lawyers; and won the first Anti-SLAPP (Strategic Litigation Against Public Participation) in the state, protecting the rights of citizens to gather and be heard in protection of their rights without fear of retaliation.

An avid owner of American Saddlebred horses, Noel is active in the equine industry within both the highly competitive world circuit and the fundraising community. Closer to home, she is an enthusiastic saltwater flats fisherman and boater.

• Florida State University Undergraduate Studies Development Board: liaison to President T. K. Wetherell, 2010-present
• Hillsborough County Bar Association (2000-present)
• Hillsborough Association of Women Lawyers
• Florida Prosecuting Attorney’s Association (1993-2004)
• Governor’s Task Force Operation LEGIT (“Law Enforcement Getting Identity Thieves”), (2001-2003)