Garrett M. Smith

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GARRETT M. SMITH concentrates his commercial law practice in the area of consumer protection, representing individuals and classes of consumers financially harmed by fraudulent or illegal schemes involving repair and reporting, lending, and collections, defective products or breached warranties, or similar economic wrongs. Since 2004, he has focused on protecting consumers defrauded by false nonprofits in the credit counseling industry. He also represents unions and businesses in litigation, particularly involving business torts. Previously, he gained broad experience in commercial litigation, handling disputes over debts and lending relationships, construction projects, and employment disputes. In representing injured unions and businesses, he has handled cases involving fraud and misrepresentation; professional errors and omissions; breaches of fiduciary duty; conspiracies to injure businesses; breaches of, and interference with, contracts; and business breakups.

After law school, Garrett completed a judicial clerkship with United States District Judge James H. Michael, Jr., where he was exposed to a broad range of federal litigation at the district court level, and also in the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. In addition to his litigation practice, he has administered both large and small estates, and represented businesses and individuals in a variety of transactions and negotiations involving financing, sales of businesses and real estate, and employment contracts.

Garrett is a former chairman and board member of the Charlottesville Catholic School Board and president of the Minor-Preston Educational Fund, Inc., a local scholarship fund granting need-based scholarships to minority and financially disadvantaged students. He has also served as president of the Albemarle County Historical Society and the Ronald McDonald House of Charlottesville.

Garrett enjoys coaching his three children in youth basketball and lacrosse in YMCA leagues and in the Boy's Middle School Lacrosse League. His wife, Diane, is a high school math teacher at the Renaissance School across the street from MichieHamlett.

My Invitation to Individual Consumers:

My interest and experience in consumer financial services fraud has allowed me to identify certain criteria that may form the basis for successful claims, both individual and class-wide, against a new breed of heavily marketed unscrupulous financial services organization. These companies are often found in the fields of credit counseling, debt management, debt settlement, or other financial rescue services.

I am looking for individual consumers who have been attracted by the claims of any organizations whose marketing or whose actual services include credit repair services— services performed or represented to improve a consumer’s credit history, credit rating or credit record. Generally speaking, marketing promises to “improve” or “rebuild” credit will suffice. The re-aging of accounts is a service that actually improves credit, and which satisfies the criteria. With this initial qualification, I am also looking individuals who have paid fees in advance of receiving the advertised service, or who have been misled by potentially false non-profit claims, unrealistic financial rescue claims, or who have been cheated by a complete failure to perform a promised service.

If you or someone you know has been victimized by a credit repair organization, I would like to meet you and hear your story. I invite you to call me to discuss your concerns or to make an appointment.

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