Introduction
Founded in 2012, Ziegler Diamond Law has built its Florida practice around a specific premise: people drowning in debt or facing aggressive creditor action have legal rights that most of them do not know how to use. The firm’s managing attorney, Mike Ziegler, arrived at debt relief law after working as a Florida state prosecutor and before that serving as an Army Ranger: a background that reflects a disposition toward fighting for clients rather than finding the path of least resistance. Christian Van Riper, the firm’s other named attorney, brings experience as a former DCF investigator, adding a perspective shaped by navigating complex institutional systems on behalf of vulnerable people.
Operating from offices in Clearwater, Tampa, Altamonte Springs, and Orlando, the firm serves clients throughout Florida in debt relief, bankruptcy, debt lawsuit defense, credit report disputes, collection harassment claims, foreclosure defense, and personal injury.
Clearwater office: (727) 538-4188: 2430 Estancia Blvd #108, Clearwater, FL 33761
Tampa office: (813) 225-3111: 625 E Twiggs St, Suite 1043, Tampa, FL 33602
Website: attorneydebtfighters.com/
Practice Areas
Bankruptcy: Chapter 7 and Chapter 13
Bankruptcy is a federal legal process that stops creditor action and provides a structured resolution for debt. Ziegler Diamond Law handles both Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 filings.
Chapter 7 bankruptcy liquidates eligible debts, providing a discharge that ends the obligation to pay covered accounts. For clients whose debt load has become unmanageable and who have no realistic path to repayment, Chapter 7 provides a legal exit.
Chapter 13 bankruptcy reorganizes debt into a repayment plan spread over three to five years, allowing clients who have regular income and assets they want to protect to address their debts without losing property. Chapter 13 also provides options for addressing mortgage arrears and other secured debt that Chapter 7 cannot resolve.
Both types of bankruptcy trigger the automatic stay immediately upon filing: a legal mechanism that stops most lawsuits, wage garnishments, and collection calls the moment a case is filed. For clients being sued by creditors or having wages garnished, that immediate stop can provide significant relief.
Debt Lawsuit Defense
Creditors and debt buyers file lawsuits against Florida consumers regularly. Ziegler Diamond Law specifically defends against claims brought by creditors including Wells Fargo, Chase, LVNV Funding LLC, and various collection law firms. Many defendants in these suits do not respond, resulting in default judgments that allow further collection action. Having legal representation in a debt lawsuit can change the outcome significantly: creditors do not always have the documentation required to prove their claims, and proper defenses can defeat or reduce judgments.
Credit Report Errors: FCRA Claims
The Fair Credit Reporting Act establishes the rights of consumers when credit reporting agencies or furnishers report inaccurate information. Errors on credit reports affect loan approvals, interest rates, insurance premiums, and in some cases employment decisions. The FCRA provides legal remedies including actual damages, statutory damages, and attorney fees when credit reporting violations are established. The firm handles FCRA claims on behalf of clients whose credit reports contain errors that furnishers or reporting agencies have failed to correct.
Collection Harassment: FDCPA and Florida Law
The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and the Florida Consumer Collection Practices Act prohibit abusive and deceptive debt collection behavior. Collection calls at inappropriate hours, threats, misrepresentation of debt amounts or legal status, and harassment are prohibited. Clients subjected to these tactics have legal claims that can be pursued on a fee-shifting basis, meaning the collector pays attorney fees if the claim succeeds.
Foreclosure Defense
Florida homeowners facing foreclosure have procedural and substantive defenses available to them that can delay or prevent loss of the home. The firm handles foreclosure defense for Florida clients, examining the lender’s standing, the documentation of the debt, and the procedural compliance of the foreclosure process.
Personal Injury
The firm’s personal injury practice covers car accidents, wrongful death, rideshare accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, and slip and fall incidents. Personal injury cases are handled on a contingency fee basis: clients pay nothing unless the firm recovers compensation on their behalf. The practice area gives the firm the ability to serve clients who face both debt problems and injury claims, which frequently overlap after serious accidents that generate medical bills.
Attorney Profiles
Mike Ziegler: Managing Attorney
Mike Ziegler’s path to debt relief law ran through the Florida state prosecutor’s office and the United States Army, where he served as an Army Ranger. The combination of prosecution experience and military service reflects a background oriented toward advocacy under pressure rather than administrative resolution. As managing attorney, Ziegler leads a firm that bears his name and his approach.
Christian Van Riper
Christian Van Riper came to legal practice with experience as a Florida Department of Children and Families investigator: a role that required navigating complex bureaucratic and institutional systems in situations involving vulnerable individuals. That background is relevant to consumer law practice, which involves understanding how large institutions process and respond to legal pressure.
Location and Service Area
Ziegler Diamond Law operates four Florida offices:
- 2430 Estancia Blvd #108, Clearwater, FL 33761: (727) 538-4188
- 625 E Twiggs St, Suite 1043, Tampa, FL 33602: (813) 225-3111
- Additional offices in Altamonte Springs and Orlando
The four-office footprint enables the firm to serve clients across a large portion of Florida, from the Tampa Bay area through Central Florida. The firm’s service area is statewide.
Client Focus
Ziegler Diamond Law’s primary client base consists of Florida residents under financial pressure: people dealing with debt they cannot manage, creditors who are suing them, collection harassment, credit report errors that are damaging their financial standing, and in some cases, the threat of foreclosure. These clients often face institutional opponents: banks, debt buyers, collection law firms: that have legal resources and established collection processes. The firm provides legal representation against those opponents using the legal tools that consumer protection law makes available.
Free consultations are offered for all practice areas, giving prospective clients an entry point without cost.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the automatic stay in bankruptcy, and when does it take effect?
The automatic stay is a legal provision that immediately stops most creditor actions: including lawsuits, wage garnishments, and collection calls: the moment a bankruptcy case is filed. It takes effect automatically upon filing, without requiring a court order. For clients being sued or having wages garnished, this immediate stop can provide relief while the bankruptcy case proceeds.
Can Ziegler Diamond Law defend me if I am being sued by Wells Fargo, Chase, or a debt buyer?
Yes. The firm specifically defends clients against debt lawsuits brought by Wells Fargo, Chase, LVNV Funding LLC, and various collection law firms.
What is an FCRA claim?
The Fair Credit Reporting Act gives consumers the right to accurate credit reporting. When a creditor or credit bureau reports inaccurate information and fails to correct it after proper dispute, the consumer may have an FCRA claim. These claims can result in statutory damages and attorney fees paid by the violator.
Does the firm handle personal injury cases on contingency?
Yes. Personal injury cases are handled on a contingency fee basis: the client pays nothing in attorney fees unless the firm recovers compensation.
Does the firm offer free consultations?
Yes. Free consultations are available for all of the firm’s practice areas.
Closing
Debt, lawsuits, garnishments, collection calls, and foreclosure threats are legal problems that have legal solutions. Ziegler Diamond Law was founded in 2012 specifically to help Florida consumers use those solutions: through bankruptcy, consumer protection statutes, lawsuit defense, and credit repair tools. The attorneys’ backgrounds in prosecution, military service, and government investigation reflect a firm that takes an adversarial approach to cases on behalf of its clients.
Four Florida offices and statewide service coverage mean that most Florida residents can access the firm without traveling significant distances. Free consultations are available for all practice areas. Contact the Clearwater office at (727) 538-4188 or the Tampa office at (813) 225-3111, or visit attorneydebtfighters.com/ to schedule a consultation.