WHO IS JOSEPH ANTHONY GASPARRO?
Joseph Anthony Gasparro is a Jacksonville, Florida attorney who was admitted to The Florida Bar in 2015. He operated his own firm, Joseph A. Gasparro, PA, and was also a member of the Florida Bar’s Young Lawyers Division. His practice spanned criminal defense, child custody, divorce, and family law matters. He built up a client base in the Jacksonville area, and early client reviews described him as effective and attentive. That reputation deteriorated sharply beginning in 2023 and 2024, when a pattern of neglect, broken promises, and complete silence began drawing client complaints and, ultimately, formal action from The Florida Bar.
WHAT HAPPENED: A PATTERN OF CLIENT NEGLECT
Gasparro has multiple complaints alleging negligence, lack of communication, and lack of progress in cases. He failed to respond to the complaints and to an order to show cause issued by the Florida Supreme Court. US District Court
The disciplinary record reflects a consistent pattern across multiple clients and multiple practice areas. Clients who paid full retainer fees — in some cases $5,000 or more — reported that Gasparro stopped working on their cases, invented hearing dates that never existed, went silent for months at a time, and refused to issue refunds when confronted. When clients pushed back, at least one reported that Gasparro became hostile on the phone, threatening to drop the case with no refund if the client continued to press him.
One client reported hiring Gasparro in May 2023 for what they described as a simple case. By 2025 — nearly two years later — the case had not been completed. The client paid in full via Zelle, received nothing, and reported being ignored when calling or messaging. When the client confronted Gasparro about feeling scammed, Gasparro reportedly called back screaming and threatened to drop the case with no refund. Anidjar & Levine
Multiple other clients reported hiring Gasparro for child support and child custody matters in 2024, paying $5,000 retainers, receiving no updates or case progress for months, being promised documents that never arrived, and being completely ghosted by early 2025. Uscourts
THE FLORIDA BAR’S INVESTIGATION AND CONTEMPT PETITION
On September 17, 2025, The Florida Bar filed a petition with the Florida Supreme Court seeking to hold Gasparro in contempt and requesting an order to show cause. The action stemmed from Gasparro’s alleged failure to respond to multiple official Bar inquiries. The Bar’s petition referenced a Grievance Committee Finding of Non-Compliance and Failure to Respond to Official Bar Inquiry, dated August 19, 2025. Enjuris
According to the finding, the Bar first sent a letter to Gasparro’s record Bar address on February 25, 2025, requesting a response by March 12, 2025. A reminder was emailed to his registered email address on May 13, 2025, with a 10-day response window. Florida Bar Investigator Michael Padgett and Investigating Member Eugene Nichols also made unsuccessful personal attempts to contact Gasparro. Gasparro was notified of an August 13, 2025 hearing on the non-compliance issue but reportedly did not respond. The Grievance Committee concluded that Gasparro’s failure to respond was willful and without good cause. Enjuris
The Florida Bar sought administrative costs of $1,250 from Gasparro, citing the unnecessary expense incurred by Bar membership due to his lack of response, and requested the Supreme Court suspend Gasparro’s license until he fully responded to the official Bar inquiry. Enjuris
THE SUSPENSION ORDER
Gasparro was suspended until further order of the Florida Supreme Court, effective 30 days following a December 12, 2025 court order. Alabnews This is an indefinite suspension — meaning it has no set end date. Unlike a fixed-term suspension of 91 days or three years, an indefinite suspension remains in effect until the attorney takes the required corrective action and the court issues a further order lifting it.
In Gasparro’s case, the path to reinstatement begins with doing what he failed to do throughout 2025: responding to the Florida Bar’s official inquiries and engaging with the disciplinary process. Until he does so, he cannot practice law in Florida.
The action was confirmed in The Florida Bar’s January 1, 2026 Disciplinary Actions report, which listed Gasparro among 11 attorneys disciplined by the Florida Supreme Court in that reporting cycle — two disbarred, six suspended, and three reprimanded. ALABnews
FLORIDA BAR RULES VIOLATED
Rule 4-1.1 — Competence: Attorneys must provide legally competent representation, including adequate thoroughness and preparation. Multiple clients across multiple practice areas reported cases that saw zero measurable progress for months or years.
Rule 4-1.3 — Diligence: Attorneys must act with reasonable diligence and promptness. Clients reported hiring Gasparro in 2023 and 2024 and reaching 2025 with nothing accomplished on their matters.
Rule 4-1.4 — Communication: Attorneys must keep clients reasonably informed and respond promptly to inquiries. Clients across multiple reviews reported being completely ignored — calls unanswered, messages unread, promises of documents that never arrived.
Rule 4-8.4 — Misconduct: Prohibits dishonesty, fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation. Multiple clients reported Gasparro fabricating hearing dates that did not exist and making false promises about case progress.
Rule 4-8.1 — Bar Admission and Disciplinary Matters: Prohibits attorneys from knowingly failing to respond to a lawful demand for information from a disciplinary authority. Gasparro’s complete failure to respond to Bar investigators, reminder notices, and a formal hearing notice is a direct violation of this rule.
WHAT CLIENTS SAID
The public record on Gasparro includes a striking volume of client complaints describing the same pattern across different practice areas and different years. Clients described paying full retainer fees, receiving initial responsiveness, then watching the attorney go silent, invent fictitious hearing dates, and refuse to engage when confronted.
One adoption client noted that after hiring a new attorney and reopening the case, they discovered Gasparro had done nothing on the matter since April 2024. Several clients stated they were actively pursuing legal action or seeking refunds through separate proceedings.
WHAT COMES NEXT
Gasparro’s indefinite suspension means he cannot practice law in Florida until he responds to the Florida Bar’s outstanding inquiries and the court issues a further order. Given that the Bar found his non-response was willful and without good cause — and that the neglect underlying the complaints spans multiple clients over multiple years — any path to reinstatement will require full engagement with the disciplinary process, a showing of rehabilitation, and compliance with all outstanding Bar requirements.
For attorneys suspended for periods of 91 days or longer, Florida Bar rules require a rigorous reinstatement process including proof of rehabilitation before they can regain their licenses.
