What the service includes
Debt recovery is not only about court. Competent pre-trial work is often faster and more effective. But if the counterparty does not respond, we take the case to court and, more importantly, through to actual enforcement of the judgment.
We handle debts of every scale, from a few million roubles to large sums with a foreign element, where recovery requires the judgment to be recognised in another jurisdiction.
A particular difficulty is a debtor who strips assets or changes its registered address while the claim letter stage is under way. In such cases we ask the court for interim measures as early as the filing of the claim, freezing accounts and assets before judgment so that there is something to recover from when the time for enforcement comes. Where it is clear that the debtor company is merely a shell, we work on subsidiary liability for its real owners.
What the service includes:
Who it is for
The situations clients most often bring to us on this topic.
How we work
A fixed fee and a clear plan of action, agreed before work begins. The timeframes below are indicative and depend on the complexity of the case.
Assessing the prospects
We assess the real prospects of recovery in light of the debtor’s financial position, and we do not take on cases that are clearly hopeless. Timeframe: 1-2 days.
Pre-trial claim letter
We send the claim letter. Sometimes this alone is enough for the debtor to pay voluntarily, without the cost of court proceedings. Timeframe: 10-30 days.
Recovery through the courts
If there is no response, we go to court, where necessary applying for interim measures over the debtor’s assets. Timeframe: 2-6 months.
Actual enforcement
We support the enforcement proceedings until the money has actually reached the client’s account. Timeframe: 1-6 months.
What you will need at the start
We confirm the exact list for your situation at the consultation. This is a guide so that you arrive at the first meeting prepared.
Key figures
Experience in this practice area specifically, not in practice as a whole.
Common mistakes
Delaying contacting a lawyer. While the debtor stalls, the limitation period runs and evidence is lost: correspondence, reconciliation statements, witness contacts. The later work on the case begins, the fewer levers remain for quick and full recovery.
Relying on the court judgment alone. Winning a case does not mean receiving the money. Real recovery begins after the judgment, at the enforcement stage, and without support at this stage the process can easily stall for months.
Claiming only the principal. Many limit themselves to recovering the principal and do not claim interest and contractual penalties for the whole period of delay, although the law allows these to be recalculated for three years back. That is a significant part of the sum that could have been recovered in addition.
What you get
A pre-trial claim letter with a calculation. We prepare a claim letter with a legally sound calculation of the debt, penalty and interest, ready to be served immediately.
A writ of execution in hand. At the end of the court process, you receive a writ of execution ready to be presented to the bailiffs or the debtor’s bank.
The debtor’s assets frozen. Where necessary, interim measures that block any attempt by the debtor to remove assets before the judgment is enforced.
Money in your bank account. Our support continues until the recovered sum has actually arrived, not merely until the court’s formal decision.
Related
Frequently asked questions
Is it worth going to court if the debt is small?+
We assess the economics at the outset, taking into account court costs and the real prospects of recovering from this particular debtor.
What if the debtor has no assets?+
We check this before work begins. Where there are no assets, recovery becomes a formality, and we tell you so honestly in advance.
Can a debt be recovered from a foreign company?+
Yes, through international arbitration or the courts at the debtor’s location, depending on the terms of the contract.
How long does debt recovery take?+
From a few weeks, where the debtor pays voluntarily after a claim letter, to a year or more if the case goes to court and enforcement proceedings.
Do I need to attend every court hearing in a debt recovery case in person?+
No. With a power of attorney in place, your representative conducts the case independently. Personal participation is needed very rarely, for individual procedural steps, and we warn you of these in advance.
What should we do if the court rules in our favour but the debtor still does not pay?+
The case moves into enforcement proceedings: tracing accounts and assets, working with the bailiff and, where necessary, turning to the debtor’s bankruptcy procedure so that the claim is included in the register of creditors’ claims.