Can a Law Firm be both a debt collector and legal representative?

by Paul
(Centerville, UT, USA)

Can a law firm attempt to collect a debt, acknowledging that they are a debt collector and then enter suit for the alleged creditor on the same issue?

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Dec 07, 2011
 Can a Law Firm be both a debt collector and legal representative?
by: Debtcollectionanswers.com

Many creditors hire law firms to try to collect past due debt for them. One of the reasons they do this is because the law firms can also file lawsuits against the consumers that owe the creditors money. Typically however, creditors do not hire law firms to help them collect debts unless the amounts of the debts are significant and the other means they have used to try to collect the debts have failed.

The laws that apply to debt collection agencies also apply to law firms that are in the business of collecting debts for their clients.


Dec 10, 2011
 Debt Collection Law Firm?
by: Anonymous

Can you give me the law for the state of washington showing the same laws for debt collection agencies apply to law firms? I have a law firm whose website say's it is a debt collecting law firm. but according to The DOL it does not have a debt collection license and the attorney claim's he is not a debt collector so his attorney license is all he need's. I'm so confused! According to the state of washington if you collect debts you have to be licensed to do so but the attorney say's he doesn't!

Reply from DebtCollectionAnswers.com:

We were referring to the definitions in the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, under which a law firm that regularly collects debts for others is considered a debt collector. Given what you are telling us, we recommend you go ahead and talk with a consumer law attorney to find out if this law firm may be breaking the law.

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