PRU Collections Practice

Since its beginnings in 1947 Paty, Rymer & Ulin and its predecessor firms have specialized in collecting commercial and professional accounts.  PRU currently has six attorneys and a staff of highly trained legal assistants, to assist clients with accounts placed or to be placed with the firm.  In fact, PRU has over two hundred combined years of experience in the collections field between its members and employees. 

PRU has the ability to handle the full range of collections activities related to our clients accounts.  On the front end, we are equipped to handle the electronic transmission of accounts for collection as well as data related to the collections process.  In fact, PRU has accepted electronic account placement from Erlanger for over two years.  In addition we offer a competent staff to lend personal assistance to any current or potential client regarding their accounts. 

Based on our clients needs and wishes, we can initiate the collections process through traditional non-legal collections efforts such as skip-tracing and direct collections efforts, or we can immediately file suit and prosecute the debt through the judicial system.  Because we are attorneys, if we are provided copies of signed admission contracts which includes a provision for the recovery of attorney fees, the fees may be added to the accounts even if only non-legal means are employed.  The addition of these fees increases the net recovery to the benefit of the client.  This fact distinguishes PRU collections from many collections agencies which are not law firms.

PRU currently has three full time employees dedicated to traditional collections activities and have proven to be very effective in traditional account collection.  This staff has access to a wide range of electronic resources to assist in the location of both debtors and assets, including credit bureaus, tax assessor records, UCC databases, and state of the industry commercial search engines.  The collections staff is supervised on a daily basis by Allison Ulin Lynch who heads PRU’s collection practice.  Ms. Lynch actually maintains a workstation in the collections area, and makes herself physically available to the collections staff for a minimum of 2 hours per day.  This hands on supervision by an experienced attorney also distinguishes PRU from most collection agencies and even law firms.  Because of this oversight and daily training, PRU has adhered to the highest professional and ethical standards for collections and no suits or administrative complaints have been filed against PRU alleging violations of the Fair Debt Collections Act.

Once it is determined that judicial action is necessary, PRU is equipped to file suit in the proper court to achieve recovery.  PRU’s 6 attorneys commonly practice in all local civil courts, at both the state and federal levels. PRU also commonly prosecutes actions in all rural counties in East Tennessee.

PRU’s attorneys are not simply “document” attorneys, but are seasoned litigators, able to effectively prosecute the actions which are filed.  Allison Ulin Lynch, Charles D. Paty and Sherry B. Paty actively litigate collections claims in addition to their other areas of practice.  This includes both courtroom appearances regarding the claims as well as legal analysis and argument regarding the claims.  Particularly with regard to large accounts we have experienced that legal questions often arise and analysis and motion practice is required.  PRU attorneys have proven adept at these functions.  In addition to Ms. Lynch and Mr. and Mrs. Paty, all PRU attorneys have proven successful at trial, and as a firm have successfully litigated the following types of claims: Collections, Domestic (all types), Railroad, Employment Discrimination, Personal Injury, Patent Infringement and Fair Labor Standards Act.

With large judgments or large defendants such as insurance companies, many times judgments are appealed.  PRU has established a history of successful appellate practice to support our tract record of trial level success.  PRU attorneys have prosecuted and defended appeals as high as both the Tennessee and United States Supreme Courts.  At the Appellate level PRU attorneys commonly collaborate on legal analysis and briefing, thus allowing the firm to bring diverse experience and individual strengths to bear on the legal issue.  

Once we have secured a judgment, PRU again employs its collection staff to execute on the judgment.  PRU staff will locate the debtors assets and/or employment and take the necessary steps to garnish or levy upon those assets.  In performing these task, the staff is again assisted by our electronic database access and our internal case management system.  These efforts have resulted in an impressive rate of return on those accounts submitted to PRU for collection