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Consumer Protection

Consumer Law at Jarvis Law

We specialize in the diverse area of law that intersects the concept of consumer protection under state and federal law. If you are a consumer that has bought goods or services in Manassas, Front Royal, Winchester, or in the Shenandoah Valley, and you’ve been wronged, defrauded, or tricked, we excel at drafting lawsuits involving the following:

  • State claims under the Virginia Consumer Protection Act (VCPA), the UCC, Magnuson Moss Warranty Act, and common law fraud
  • Federal claims under UDAAP, which is an acronym referring to unfair, deceptive, or abusive acts or practices by those who offer financial products or services to consumers, as well as the Truth in Lending Act (TILA), and the Fair Debt Consumer Protection Act (FDCPA)
  • Consumers wronged by sellers of products and services in industries that run the gambit from automobile dealers, contractors, tractor and farm supply companies and other Shenandoah Valley, Manassas, Front Royal, Winchester and other Virginia businesses
  • Defense counsel to car dealers, contractors, and other businesses that need help preventing or defending claims under all aspects of Virginia and federal commercial law
  • Corporate Compliance Packages and set fees for analyzing contracts, leases, advertising and collections methods
  • Creative and thorough fact-finding and legal analysis of all consumer protection statutes, with an eye towards fair dealing and honest business practices
  • Extensive courtroom experience in Front Royal, Winchester, Manassas and the Shenandoah Valley
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Why Jarvis Law?

When we draft a lawsuit or a Complaint, we look for fact patterns that lead to statutes which provide for the recovery of treble damages and/or attorney’s fees. In other words, if we can help you and you’ve bought goods or services from a business to the east of us in Manassas, right here in Front Royal, or north in Winchester, and you’ve been wronged, we are here to help you. We will start with looking through all your contract-related documents, and we will analyze whether you have a good case that we can take to court. If you’ve been wronged and you paid money for a roof, and didn’t get what you paid for, and had a contractor disappear after taking his first draw on your new build, for example, please reach out to us.

At Jarvis Law, we started out working on cases on the side of large companies who were looking to merge and had to obtain approval from either the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) or the Department of Justice (DOJ). As a fledgling lawyer, Elaine Jarvis witnessed some of the most egregious companies falling apart—after they violated not only criminal statutes, but consumer protection laws as well. As a mother and a member of the community, Elaine Jarvis supports hardworking, honest businesses and has run (and continues to run) private businesses of her own. 

Some businesses are not so circumspect in their dealings, and folks can get hurt as a result. It’s not fun to get cheated or taken for a ride. Elaine has had the honor and opportunity to work with some of the best consumer protection advocates and attorneys in the Commonwealth, especially in her stint at BRLS in Winchester. Her passion projects might well be the consumer protection cases she brings, often pro bono, against shady businesses. She tries to find statutory violations that provide for the recovery of attorney’s fees in these cases, and also tries very hard not to write frivolous or unjust complaints that are not merited. Elaine is proud to accept referrals from other attorneys and from legal aid organizations for consumer protection cases. If you are a consumer and you feel like you’ve been treated badly, please give us a call.

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Amanda Chaillan

Senior Adviser, Business

Amanda Chaillan earned a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science with a minor in English from Chapman University in 2008. Her collegiate study focused on intercultural and global relations, including a research semester at Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic and a semester of study at Georgetown University, Washington, DC. She also completed an Executive Certificate in Strategic Management from the Harvard Extension School in 2017.

Amanda’s career has always been at the intersection of nonprofits, business and government. Focused on delivering positive impact, she has helped build organizations, develop business strategies and craft messaging that advances the work of visionaries and leaders that are shaping the world. She played a critical role in marketing and practice integration for the energy sector group of a global law firm, led engagement with legal counsel and the Board of Directors to establish and facilitate strategic planning for the launch of a water-focused nonprofit, and has led program teams addressing a range of corporate social responsibilities (CSR) issues.  

Amanda brings her business acumen and operational expertise to every engagement, drawing on her particular strengths in stakeholder engagement, program development and storytelling. She is committed to continuing to build a career of service and working to make a positive impact on the world.

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Tarra Smeltzer

Office Manager

Tarra Smeltzer has constructed a career that builds on her passion for personal wellness and strong business ethics. She brings a big heart and incredible attention to detail to every role she takes on. Whether it’s supporting customers or working with colleagues, she is a doer and fixer, helping manage cases, fostering a collaborative culture and trouble-shooting operational and legal issues.

With more than 30 years of customer service experience, Tarra manages the trial and team schedules and coordinates office operations to deliver the best outcomes for Jarvis clients. She also brings research skills and issue experience in the areas of real estate, consumer and family law.

Tarra is a vital member of the Jarvis team, and a caring champion of clients. In her free time she enjoys hiking in the Shenandoah Valley, reading and spending time with her loving family.

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Madeline Farris

Paralegal

A student at the College of William & Mary, Madeline Farris is a Classics Major who plans to follow in the footsteps of Mrs. Jarvis as a lawyer and an author. Ever since the age of 12, Madeline has been writing: with six complete novels, Madeline is determined to publish her work, but she loves her work at Jarvis Law, where she is able to crack fascinating cases and help good people. Madeline figures in a leadership position in her campus’s Unitarian Universalist ministry, and also works at the Williamsburg Unitarian Universalist Church as the Childcare Coordinator.

Madeline has experience in the nonprofit and legal aid sectors: she worked with Mrs. Jarvis as Mrs. Jarvis’s intern while Mrs. Jarvis was still a staff attorney at Blue Ridge Legal Services, and also worked with Valley Assistance Network from 2019-2020 as an intern, where she was able to help connect struggling people with necessary resources.

Madeline is also the stepdaughter of a Certified Flight Instructor (CFI), so she is studying to obtain her light sport pilots license, for as Leonardo Da Vinci once said, “Once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return.”

Madeline’s favorite areas of law are family, consumer protection, and business law. She enjoys finding odd solutions to difficult problems, and assisting wonderful souls in a world that is sometimes unforgiving and cruel. Madeline’s hobbies include playing the clarinet, taking long walks in nature, and talking to her vivacious pet goldfish, Bertie.

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Joshua Smeltzer

Paralegal

Joshua Smeltzer obtained a Bachelor of Science in Philosophy from James Madison University in 2022, following his service with the U.S. Army. He is a compassionate and committed public servant building a career that draws on his strong communication, research and management skills.

Josh seeks out opportunities that require critical thinking and creative solutions to address the complex challenges faced by clients. As a lead researcher, he dives deep into an issue to inform the legal strategy of the Jarvis team. He has led research on legal issues including consumer law, real estate, family law and estate planning.

Josh is a dedicated family man and proud member of the Shenandoah Valley community. In his free time, Josh enjoys physical activities and indulging in a new book.

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Elaine Jarvis

Elaine Jarvis obtained her law degree from the Marshall Wythe School of Law at the College of William and Mary in 1997. She practiced law in D.C. and Northern Virginia for several years, obtaining experience in litigation, antitrust, mergers & acquisitions, bankruptcy and contract law. She put the practice of law on hold for a bit to raise three children and run multiple businesses, with a focus on publishing and helping non-profits. Over the course of a decade, Elaine wrote ten novels and built a social media following of more than 50,000 people with her page and blog, Running from Hell with El. Her first two novels, Ripple: a Tale of Hope and Redemption and I Run: a Novel won awards and hit Amazon bestseller’s list at #1 and #2.

In 2015, Elaine moved from Fairfax County to the mountains of Front Royal and found her love for the practice of law rekindled. She joined Blue Ridge Legal Services, Inc. (BRLS) in Winchester, where she helped low-income clients in Frederick County, Clarke County, Front Royal, Shenandoah and Page County–and all parts in between. These clients faced legal issues in consumer law, bankruptcy, landlord/tenant, and estate planning. At BRLS, Elaine counted success as roofs kept over heads and clients saved from overwhelming threats to their survival. Leaving BRLS and her office mates was hard, but being able to help folks in Northern Virginia, Manassas, Winchester, the Valley and of course Front Royal while also focusing on complex fact patterns, small businesses, and aggrieved consumers makes for a journey into an exciting future. Elaine’s outside interests include writing, flying airplanes, hiking, adventuring, gardening and piloting things that go fast and land gently. She enjoys running and traveling from mountain to ocean and just about anywhere in between—as long as she can escape the city. She welcomes people from all faith traditions, ethnic backgrounds, genders, and personal belief systems to her practice.

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