Collection At Law, Inc.: The California Collection Law Firm That Sues First, and What to Do If It Contacts You
Collection At Law, Inc. is a California professional law corporation in Westlake Village, in practice since 2001, that collects commercial and consumer debts for creditors including, in its own words, merchant cash advance companies. It is not a lender and, by its own disclaimer, not a collection agency: it is collection attorneys. Its stated method is the point of this page. Unlike agencies that send letters and make calls, the firm says it immediately initiates litigation against the debtor and keeps going through post-judgment enforcement. If the firm's name is on your paperwork, assume a lawsuit is the next step, not a threat.
Who is Collection At Law, Inc.?
Collection At Law, Inc. describes itself as a professional law corporation, in business since 2001, at an office in Westlake Village, California 91362, reachable at (818) 716-7630. Its site says its team has more than 40 years of combined experience, that it specialises in commercial and consumer collections and business litigation rather than dabbling in collections alongside other work, and that it represents clients ranging from financial institutions, merchant cash advance companies and multinational corporations to small business owners. Fees are described as purely contingent on collection.
We did not locate a BBB profile for the firm. Attorney conduct in California is overseen by the State Bar of California, whose attorney search shows licence status and discipline history for any lawyer at the firm.
What the firm is not: a funder. An earlier version of this page used a merchant cash advance funder template and discussed the firm's factor rates and reconciliation clauses. A law firm has neither. If it is collecting a merchant cash advance balance, the funder that hired it is the counterparty and that funder's agreement sets the terms.
Why the firm sues first
Its own description is unusually direct: most collection agencies waste time with phone calls and letters, while Collection At Law immediately initiates litigation against the debtor. It then handles post-judgment enforcement, which its site describes as the process after a judgment is obtained in small claims court, any California superior court, or a court of another state, and which it says most firms stop short of. It lists third party debtor examinations among its services and says it has affiliations with attorneys outside California so that post-judgment proceedings continue if the debtor moves out of state.
For a business owner that means two things. A first contact from this firm is more likely to be a summons than a demand letter, so the response deadline is the priority. And a judgment, once entered, will be followed by enforcement: bank levies, examinations of debtors under oath, and pursuit across state lines. The window for a negotiated resolution is before judgment.
What to establish from your own paperwork
- Which creditor the firm represents. The caption on any filing names it. That agreement governs the balance and any guaranty.
- Where you were sued and why there. The firm's home court is California; a merchant cash advance agreement may instead name New York or another state as the exclusive venue. The court named on the summons is where the deadline runs.
- Purchase price versus purchased amount, and what has been paid, if the balance is a merchant cash advance. Bank statements for every debit.
- The reconciliation clause and your written requests, which are the defense that has stopped MCA funders at summary judgment elsewhere.
- Personal guaranty and confession of judgment. A guaranty puts you personally in the case; whether a confession of judgment can be used depends on the state named in your agreement and where it is filed.
- The deadline. In California superior court a civil defendant generally has 30 days from service to respond; other states differ. Missing it means a default judgment and then enforcement.
If a lawsuit has been filed
Answer it. This firm's model is built on getting to judgment quickly; a default hands it the full balance plus fees and costs and opens enforcement, including debtor examinations. An answer keeps every defense alive and keeps settlement possible. If you have been served, see what to do when Collection At Law sues.
Can a balance the firm is collecting be settled?
Yes, and the firm lists settlements among its services. The creditor decides the number. The room is the gap between what is claimed on paper and what can be proven and collected, weighed against the creditor's own litigation cost; it narrows sharply after judgment, which with this firm can come fast. See how a balance Collection At Law is collecting can be settled and, for financing balances, how MCA debt relief works.
Business Debt Adjusters reviews the agreement, the payment history and the filing, and tells you what is realistic before the deadline, no commitment required.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Collection At Law a merchant cash advance company?
No. It is a California collection law firm that represents creditors, including merchant cash advance companies, on a contingency basis. The funder named in your agreement is the counterparty.
Is Collection At Law a collection agency?
By its own disclaimer, no: it describes itself as collection attorneys providing collection and litigation services, in practice since 2001 in Westlake Village, California. We did not locate a BBB profile.
Will Collection At Law send letters before suing?
Its website says that, unlike agencies that waste time with calls and letters, it immediately initiates litigation against the debtor. Treat a first contact as the start of a lawsuit and check for a summons.
What happens after Collection At Law gets a judgment?
The firm says it handles all post-judgment enforcement, including third party debtor examinations, and works with affiliated attorneys in other states if the debtor moves. Bank levies and liens follow a judgment.
How long do I have to respond if Collection At Law sues me?
In California superior court, generally 30 days from service; in other states it can be 20 to 30 days. The court on the summons controls. Missing the deadline leads to a default judgment.
Will Collection At Law settle for less than the balance?
Settlements are listed among its services and are decided by the creditor. The realistic window is before judgment, which this firm pursues quickly.
Sources
- Collection At Law, Inc. company website
- Collection At Law, Inc.: Our Services
- State Bar of California attorney search
Facts on this page were checked against the linked sources on September 23, 2026. Business Debt Adjusters is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or authorized to represent the company described.
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