Florida built a tough consumer protection regime — the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act (FDUTPA) covers nearly every deceptive sales practice, and the Florida Consumer Collection Practices Act (FCCPA) reaches further than the federal FDCPA by applying to original creditors, not just debt collectors. Most cases pay your attorney's fees if you win. Below: five vetted Fort Lauderdale-area consumer protection firms, picked for depth in FDUTPA, FCCPA, FDCPA, TCPA, lemon law, and credit-reporting work.
Consumer protection is one of the few legal areas where the law actually tilts toward the regular person. Both Congress and the Florida Legislature built fee-shifting into the major statutes so companies can't outspend you. The catch: deadlines are short, and you need to know which statute applies. Call a Fort Lauderdale consumer lawyer if any of the following is happening:
The Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act covers any unfair, deceptive, or unconscionable trade practice. It applies to nearly every consumer transaction in Florida. Winning plaintiffs recover actual damages plus attorney's fees. The limitations period is 4 years from discovery. FDUTPA also has a class-action mechanism.
The Florida Consumer Collection Practices Act is broader than the federal FDCPA. It applies to original creditors as well as third-party collectors — banks, credit card issuers, hospitals, landlords trying to collect rent. Each violation pays $1,000 in statutory damages plus actual damages and fees. 2-year limitations period.
FDCPA (1-year), TCPA (4-year), FCRA (2-year discovery / 5-year violation), and the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act all apply to Florida consumers. Each has fee-shifting and short deadlines.
The Motor Vehicle Warranty Enforcement Act covers new vehicles purchased or leased in Florida. The "Lemon Law Rights Period" is 24 months from delivery. Three reasonable repair attempts (or one for life-threatening defects), or 15 cumulative out-of-service days, generally triggers the right to refund or replacement.
Because FDUTPA, FCCPA, FDCPA, TCPA, FCRA and Magnuson-Moss all shift fees to the losing defendant, the firms below can take strong cases on contingency. Ask any firm to confirm the fee structure in writing before you sign.
Andrew J. Weinstein has been managing partner since 1996. The firm has litigated thousands of consumer protection cases across South Florida — deceptive trade practices, bad-faith insurance, undisclosed fees, hurricane-claim denials. Heavy bench on FDUTPA and Broward Circuit Court work.
Largest bankruptcy filer in Broward County by case volume, with a parallel consumer-debt defense and FCCPA practice. The right call when the case spans debt collection harassment, garnishment defense, and the possibility of Chapter 7 or 13 relief. Chad Van Horn is board-certified by the American Board of Certification in Consumer Bankruptcy.
Multi-office Florida plaintiff firm with a dedicated Fort Lauderdale consumer protection practice. Handles FDUTPA, FCCPA, bad-faith insurance, and hurricane-claim disputes. Useful when the case has both consumer and personal-injury angles (auto-collision plus a totaled-car valuation fight, for instance).
Solo Fort Lauderdale attorney experienced in helping clients with consumer law matters, contract disputes, and civil litigation. Reasonable hourly rates and a small-firm communication style. Good fit for cases that don't fit the contingency-only model.
Fort Lauderdale plaintiff trial firm. Cristina Pierson and Scott Knapp are both recognized by Best Lawyers in commercial litigation, consumer protection, and mass-tort/class-action work. Strong fit when the case is large-stakes consumer fraud, a class action, or a complex bad-faith insurance dispute.
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