Collection at Law, Inc. is a California professional law corporation in Westlake Village that has handled collection litigation since 2001. It says it files suit rather than relying on calls and letters, and it pursues post-judgment enforcement.
- Type
- Collection law firm
- Also known as
- Collection at Law, Inc. A.P.C.; Collection At Law, Inc.; CALI
- Headquarters
- Westlake Village, CA
- Phone numbers it lists
- (818) 716-7630
- Website
- collectionatlaw.net
18 debt collection complaints were sent to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau about Collection at Law, Inc. A.P.C. from November 13, 2023 to November 12, 2026. A complaint is a consumer's account, not a finding that the company broke the law. Read the complaints in the CFPB database.
Who Is Collection at Law?
Collection at Law, Inc. (it uses the abbreviation "CALI") is a California professional law corporation in Westlake Village. Its website says it has operated since 2001 and states: "We are not a collection agency. We are collection attorneys who provide collection and litigation services." The firm says its fees are contingent on collection plus court costs.
We did not find a CFPB enforcement action against Collection at Law.
Why Collection at Law May Be Contacting You
The firm's site describes a litigation-first approach: "Unlike most collection agencies that waste time with phone calls and letters, Collection At Law, Inc. immediately initiates litigation against the debtor." It also lists settlements, judgments, debtor examinations and post-judgment enforcement among its services, and says it works with co-counsel in other states when a debtor has moved.
The website mainly markets to businesses and does not name its clients. In practice, the first thing you receive from this firm may be a demand letter, a summons, or a notice about collecting a judgment that was already entered, possibly in a California small claims or superior court. If you have moved to Texas, a judgment from another state generally has to be domesticated in a Texas court before it can be enforced here.
How to Check a Debt Collection at Law Says You Owe
- Look for the validation notice with the creditor's name, itemization and dispute deadline (15 U.S.C. § 1692g; 12 C.F.R. § 1006.34). A summons and complaint alone is not treated as the initial communication under § 1692g(d).
- Dispute in writing within the validation period and ask for the contract or invoices the claim is based on.
- Check court records. If the firm refers to a judgment, get the court, case number and judgment date, and confirm whether you were ever served.
- Compare the amount to the judgment or the original bill, and ask how post-judgment interest and costs were calculated.
- Know the time limits. In Texas, most suits on a debt must be brought within four years (Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.004), and debt buyers may not sue on time-barred consumer debt (Tex. Fin. Code § 392.307). California and other states have their own deadlines.
What Collection at Law Can and Can't Do
A law firm that regularly collects consumer debts, including by suing, is a "debt collector" under the FDCPA (Heintz v. Jenkins, 514 U.S. 291 (1995)), even if it says it is not a collection agency. For a firm focused on lawsuits and judgment enforcement:
- It must sue where you live or where you signed the contract (15 U.S.C. § 1692i).
- It may not threaten to seize property that is exempt (15 U.S.C. § 1692e(4)). Texas protects wages, a homestead and many personal items from most creditors.
- It may not falsely represent the status of a judgment or the amount due (15 U.S.C. § 1692e(2)).
- It may not collect costs or fees that a court or contract did not authorize (15 U.S.C. § 1692f(1)).
See what a creditor can do after a judgment and our Texas FDCPA attorneys page.
We Sue Debt Collectors That Break the FDCPA
Texas Debt Law files Fair Debt Collection Practices Act lawsuits against debt collectors in federal court for consumers in Texas, California, Illinois, Georgia and Colorado. If Collection at Law or anyone collecting for it harassed you, misstated what you owe, threatened action it could not take, or told others about your debt, you may have a claim. A court can order a collector that violated the FDCPA to pay your actual damages, up to $1,000 in additional statutory damages, and your attorney's fees and costs (15 U.S.C. § 1692k(a)). An FDCPA claim generally must be filed within one year of the violation (§ 1692k(d)), so keep your letters, call logs, voicemails and screenshots, and talk to us early. Texas residents may also have claims under the Texas Debt Collection Act. Learn more from our FDCPA attorneys.
Free FDCPA Case Review(214) 851-2250
Or start your free case evaluation online. No lawyer can promise a result; every claim depends on its facts and proof.
Sources
- Collection at Law: home page
- Collection at Law: About Us
- Collection at Law: Contact Us
- CFPB enforcement actions list
- CFPB Consumer Complaint Database: Collection at Law, Inc. A.P.C., debt collection
This profile is general information compiled from public sources, not legal advice, and it does not state or imply that Collection at Law has violated any law. Company details change; tell us if something here is out of date.