On Thursday, August 21, 2025, the Supreme Court of Florida approved a conditional guilty plea and consent judgment for Attorney Chantel LaVonne Grant, which includes a public reprimand. The case involved multiple complaints filed against Grant by The Florida Bar, highlighting her failure to adequately represent clients and charging excessive fees.
The case is entitled “The Florida Bar v. Chantel LaVonne Grant,” with case no. SC2024-0620.
The narrative summary of the case outlines various instances of misconduct by Grant. In one notable incident, she was accused of overcharging a client, David Hamlet, who had initially signed a limited scope legal services agreement. From August 2016 through June 2020, Grant’s firm collected a total of $35,161.64 from Hamlet for handling his outstanding student loans. However, during this time, neither Grant nor any attorneys from her firm served as counsel of record in any active litigation concerning Hamlet’s case. Furthermore, it was reported that Grant failed to maintain adequate communication with Hamlet, depriving him of the ability to make informed decisions regarding his legal representation.
The report of the referee appointed to oversee the proceedings also detailed similar patterns of misconduct in other cases. For instance, in her representation of Casey Crimmins White, Grant’s law firm received approximately $31,815.90 in attorney’s fees. Again, no active litigation was conducted on behalf of the client, and the fees charged were deemed excessive given the limited scope of services provided.
Grant also faced scrutiny for her work with Patricia Crimmins, who was a co-signer on her daughter’s student loans. Here, the client made payments to Grant’s firm for legal services, yet no active litigation occurred during the attorney-client relationship. The total fee charged exceeded what was considered reasonable for the services rendered. In another instance, while representing Elizabeth Ripoli, Grant’s firm collected around $12,117.00 in attorney’s fees without engaging in any active litigation. The fee charged again raised concerns about its reasonableness in light of the services provided.
The case involving Renato Warren further illustrated Grant’s problematic practices. From June 2021 to July 2024, Warren paid approximately $473.43 per month for legal representation concerning six unsecured debts. Despite this, Grant’s firm faced civil actions initiated by creditors, resulting in a summary judgment against Warren in two instances. The court found that the fees charged by Grant were excessive relative to the legal services provided.
As part of the disciplinary action, Grant received a public reprimand, which will be published in the Southern Reporter. She is also required to pay restitution to Hamlet and participate in The Florida Bar’s Fee Arbitration Program with Warren. Additionally, Grant must cover the disciplinary costs incurred by The Florida Bar, totaling $16,111.50, with the understanding that these costs are not dischargeable in any future proceedings.
According to Avvo.com, Ms. Grant is a consumer protection attorney in Boca Raton, Florida. She attended the St. Thomas University School of Law, graduating in 2008. She acquired her law license in Florida in the same year.
A copy of the original filing can be found here.
