Debt Collection Round Table Summary - Legal Services ...

Conclusion
The Legal Services Commissioner convened the debt collection round table to develop a greater
understanding of the concerns held by consumers of legal services and debt collection industry
regulators, and to identify the extent to which Victorian lawyers were involved in any practices of
concern.
From the background research and discussions held at the round table, it can be said that the
majority of Victorian lawyers handle debt collection matters with high levels of professionalism.
There is, however, a small number of lawyers that undertake questionable business practices.
The ultimate aim of the Legal Services Commissioner is to help improve the quality of legal
services for all consumers of legal services. The following initiatives should go someway to
addressing the issues raised at the debt collection round table.
Outcomes
The Commissioner has committed to the following activities raised at the debt collection round
table:
• distribute this document to a number of interested agencies including law associations to help
raise awareness of consumer concerns with the debt collection industry;
• work to improve the level of awareness and understanding of debt collection concerns among
both consumers and the legal profession through developing education material,
providing improved access to relevant information for lawyers, and continuing the dialogue
with all involved parties;
• seek to engage specialist debt recovery law fi rms to highlight the key concerns of consumers
in inter-jurisdictional debt collection matters, and promote the acceptable debt collection
practice guidelines among those fi rms.
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