Commercial Legal Services: Debt Collection

“Tailored recovery packages”

Our Debt Recovery Department works very closely with credit control departments to ensure a smooth and efficient debt collection service. Different clients have different requirements and the department prides itself on devising a tailored package appropriate for each business.

Debt recovery - a comprehensive solution Barnaby Page, Head of Debt Recovery, advises on debt recovery and what it means for our clients. watch video >

Areas of specialisation:

Outsourced credit control - this is designed as an extension of each client's own accounts or credit control department. Outsourcing can be either full or partial: the Department can dovetail into the client's own credit control procedure at any given stage. This allows clients to concentrate on what they are good at, namely generating profit in their own industry sector, rather than wasting resources on chasing customers for outstanding bills.

Debt collection - a large number of clients utilise the Department as the next logical step from their own efficient credit control department. This more traditional approach generally involves a solicitor's letter and thereafter legal proceedings if the deadline passes without payment. Set fees are offered for most stages of the proceedings to allow clients the certainty of what they will be charged.

Debt litigation - inevitably some legal actions are defended by the debtor and there is nothing worse for the client than a debt collection department which passes a defended legal action over to an unfamiliar and separate litigation department. Clients deserve continuity, accountability and confidence from the start of an action to its conclusion. The Department operates its own Debt Litigation section with experienced litigators who can advise the client on defended debt actions and thereafter, if appropriate, progress the matter all the way to trial in the unlikely event that they are unable to settle the matter earlier.

Insolvency procedures - winding up and bankruptcy petitions are extensively used on debts of a substantial value and where there is no genuine dispute. If a debtor has not paid an undisputed debt as and when it falls due then such petitions can be used. They leave the debtor with the prospect of paying the debt (including legal costs) or facing liquidation or bankruptcy. This is often the best way of pushing a client to the front of the "creditors queue". The debt must have no genuine dispute.

Commercial clients benefit from regular reports which are generally emailed in an excel format to allow the client to manipulate the data for their own internal reporting needs. Initial instructions can also be downloaded from the client's own accounting system, emailed and uploaded onto the Departments case management system. Each client's package is aimed at minimising the time spent on administration and maximising the collection rate.

	Contacts
Barnaby Page (Head of Recoveries) Mike Smith (Senior Litigation Executive) Karen Mace-Biggs (Senior Litigation Executive) Sarah Brook (Litigation Executive) Andrew Blinkhorn (Junior Litigation Executive) Nikki Fannan (Junior Litigation Executive )