He was a claims representative for the State Farm Mutual Life Insurance Company in Lakeland, Florida, from 1957 to 1958.
He was in private practice in Fort Lauderdale, Florida from 1958 to 1964.
He was an assistant state attorney of the Fifteenth Judicial Circuit Court of Florida in Palm Beach County from 1961 to 1964.
He was a Judge of the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit Court of Florida in Broward County from 1964 to 1978.
[2] Gonzalez was nominated by President Jimmy Carter on July 6, 1978, to a seat on the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida vacated by Judge Charles B. Fulton.