The Law Office of Ahmad Keshavarz

My firm is over twenty years old and represents consumers exclusively. We primarily sue debt collectors in federal court for violating the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (the FDCPA), by, for example: illegally restraining bank accounts or garnish wages based on judgments that in fact have been vacated; failing to returned previously garnished funds despite in violation of court order; obtaining and continuing to collect upon as a "sewer service" judgment (that is, a judgment based upon a false affidavit of service); refusing to vacate a sewer service judgment despite evidence that the affidavit of service was false; and restraining and refusing to promptly release social security or other income exempt from restraint.

We also bring claims for violations of the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) against credit reporting agencies and furnishers of information to credit reporting agencies. Common claims include: continuing to report debts non-existent debts where provided evidence of identity theft or consumer prevailing in collection lawsuit; and car dealers impermissibly pulling credit reports of an identity theft victim.

Occasionally we sue banks and financial institutions for violations of the Electronic Fund Transfer Act for failing to perform a reasonable investigation in response to disputes for fraudulent bank account withdrawals.

Our clients come from a wide array of backgrounds, but often are low-income, elderly, immigrants, and people of color, so past experience advocating for these communities is a major plus.

Our firm regularly co-counsels with various Legal Services entities. While we are a private practice, we focus on cases that can benefit the public interest, especially by setting favorable case law for consumers.

Our firm has obtained many favorable published decisions that have expanded the rights of consumers in New York. Representative decisions, often with Legal Service organization include:

• Arias v. Gutman, Mintz, Baker & Sonnenfeldt LLP, 875 F.3d 128 (2d Cir. 2017) [with National Center for Law and Economic Justice and New Economy Project]
• Francois v. Victory Auto Grp. LLC, No. 22-CV-04447 (JSR), 2023 WL 373250 (denying motion to dismiss); 2023 WL 4534375 (denying summary judgement); 2024 WL 396171 (S.D.N.Y. Feb. 2, 2024) (denying reconsideration);
• Texidor v. Tromberg, Morris, & Poulin, PLLC, No. 21 CV 4845 (RPK)(LB), 2023 WL 8043067 (E.D.N.Y. Nov. 20, 2023)
• Villalba v. Houslanger & Assocs., PLLC, No. 19CV4270PKCRLM, 2022 WL 900538 (E.D.N.Y. Mar. 28, 2022)
• Fritz v. LVNV Funding, LLC, et al, 955 F.Supp.2d 163 (E.D.N.Y. 2013) [with CAMBA Legal Services and National Consumer Law Center]
• Rivera v. Financial Asset Mgmt. Sys., Inc., No. 17-CV-1295 (WFK), 2020 WL 5791175 (E.D.N.Y. Sept. 25, 2020)
• Morales v. Kavulich & Assocs., P.C., 294 F. Supp. 3d 193 (S.D.N.Y. 2018) [with CAMBA Legal Services]
• Martinez v. LVNV Funding, LLC, 2016 WL 5719718 (E.D.N.Y. Sept. 30, 2016)
• Samms v. Abrams, Fensterman, Fensterman, Eisman, Formato, Ferrara & Wolf, LLP, 163 F. Supp. 3d 109, (S.D.N.Y. 2016)
• Gomez v. Resurgent Capital Servs., LP, 129 F. Supp. 3d 147 (S.D.N.Y. 2015).
• Polanco v. NCO Portfolio Mgmt., Inc., 132 F. Supp. 3d 567 (S.D.N.Y. 2015).
• Okyere v. Palisades Collection, LLC, 961 F. Supp. 2d 522 (S.D.N.Y. 2013) [with NYLAG (New York Legal Assistance Group)]