Attorney James Salvatore Giardina was born and raised in Buffalo, New York, the debt collection capital of the world. Prior to becoming an attorney, Mr. Giardina worked as a bill collector, where he witnessed the often misleading and sometimes abusive tactics used by these companies in an attempt to intimidate consumers into paying. After graduating with a Juris Doctorate from SUNY Buffalo School of Law in 2003, Mr. Giardina served as in-house counsel for one of the world’s largest debt collection companies. It is there he learned that consumers are frequently unaware of their rights that protect them from unscrupulous collectors.
In 2005, Mr. Giardina opened his law office as a sole practitioner in Florida, practicing in the area of contracts litigation, including debt defense and debt collection. By 2009, Mr. Giardina had limited his practice exclusively to consumer protection litigation. By applying his intimate knowledge of the mechanics of debt collection litigation, which he gained working on behalf of collectors, he has been able to win hundreds of cases for the benefit of consumers like you.
Education
- State University of New York at Buffalo School of Law, J.D., 2003
- State University of New York at Buffalo School, B.A., 2000
Bar Licenses
- Florida – 2004
- New York – 2005
Court Admissions
Florida
- U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida
- U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida
- U.S. District Court, Northern District of Florida
New York
- U.S. District Court, Western District of New York
- U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York
- U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York
- U.S. District Court, Northern District of New York
- U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Western District of New York
Other
- United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
- Supreme Court of the United States
Awards and Recognitions
- AV Preeminent rating on Martindale- Hubbell
- 10/10 Rating on Avvo
- Super Lawyers: “Florida Rising Star”
- Tampa Bay Magazine: “Top Attorneys in Tampa”
- Legal Leaders: “Tampa’s Top Rated Lawyers”
- Super Lawyers: “Top Rated Consumer Law Attorney”
- Florida Trend: “Legal Elite”
- Pro Bono Recognition: Florida Supreme Court: “Thirteenth Judicial Circuit Pro Bono Award Recipient”
Professional Activities
- National Association of Consumer Advocates
- Hillsborough County Bar Association
- Federal Bar Association
- Tampa Bay Catholic Lawyer’s Guild
- Tampa Bay Inn of Court
- Erie County Bar Association
- Florida Bar Consumer Protection Law Committee
- Past Chairman, HCBA Leadership Institute
Speaking Engagements
- “Ethics in Consumer Law,” March, 2013
- “Unfair Business Practices,” October, 2013
- “Picking Up the Pieces After Identity Theft,” September, 2015
- “Cyber Hacking in the Information Age,” October, 2018
Media Appearances
Fox 13 Tampa Bay
- Consumer Scams – September 2019
- Alternatives to Bankruptcy – February 2019
- Credit Card Debt – June 2018
- Credit Card Myths – August 2018
- Dealing with Piling up Debt – August 2018
- Liens and Consumer Debts – February 2017
- Dealing with Robocalls – July 2018
- Telephone Services and Billing – April 2016
- Telephone Scams – April 2014
ABC Action News
- Contractors Liens on Consumer Debts – August 2016
- Office Lottery Scams – November 2012
- Solar Panel Frustrations – November 2018
WFLA – News Channel 8
- Auto Dealer Fraud – November 2018
WHNZ Radio (AM 1250)
- Garnishment Protection for Senior Citizens – September 2013
