“I hired Ian just days before trial, yet he got my case dismissed with prejudice. This guy is phenomenal.”
Mark L., Los Angeles — August 2022
Sued by a debt collector?
You have thirty days to respond — and more options than they're hoping you know about. I've defended Californians against Midland Funding, LVNV, Portfolio Recovery, and the rest of the debt-buyer industry since 1998. Many of my clients end up paying nothing.
Free fifteen-minute virtual consult. You speak with Ian directly — there is no intake screener.
Solo California attorney
Since 1998. You work with me, not an associate.
Consumer defense only
I represent the person being sued, never the collector.
Published appellate wins
Several decisions establishing pro-consumer debt-buyer law.
Your case in five steps.
Debt collection lawsuits feel chaotic, but they follow a predictable pattern. Here is the map.
1
Served
A process server hands you a summons and complaint. The thirty-day clock starts now.
2
Answer filed
We file a formal Answer before the deadline. No default judgment is entered against you.
3
Discovery
We demand proof. Most debt buyers cannot produce the paperwork they needed to buy the debt.
4
Motion or trial
Evidentiary objections, summary judgment, trial. Three of my wins became published decisions.
5
Resolution
Most cases end in dismissal or settlement for a small fraction of what was claimed.
They bought your debt in bulk. They do not always have the paperwork to back it up.
Chain of title gaps
Debt buyers purchase massive portfolios on spreadsheets. The specific assignment of your account is often missing or defective — and without it, they cannot prove they own the debt.
Inadmissible evidence
Original-creditor records are hearsay unless introduced by the right witness. My published decisions in Sierra v. Hale and Midland v. Romero turn on exactly this point.
Statute of limitations
California gives them four years from the first missed payment to sue on a credit card debt. A surprising number of cases are filed too late — and that is a complete defense.
Forty-one testimonials on this site, and counting.
“I've never needed to hire a lawyer before, and Ian calmed all of my fears. In less than a couple of months, Ian helped me reach the resolution I wanted.”
Allison D., Santa Monica — September 2020
“Ian was kind and gave me sensible advice, down to the forms I needed, where to find them, and how to fill them out. He didn't make me feel less-than and didn't talk over me.”
Rose K. — February 2025
How I work, and what it costs.
A short video on the fee structure and what a typical debt collection case looks like start to finish.
A California attorney, not a firm.
When you call, you get me. I do not hand your case to an associate, a paralegal, or a telemarketer.
- Santa Clara J.D. (1998), federal clerkship, four years in high-dollar tech litigation.
- Solo attorney, focused practice — defending consumers against debt collectors since 2005.
- Multiple published appellate wins establishing pro-consumer law on consumer debt defense issues.
- Over a thousand trial successes including hundreds of “settlements” where the consumer pays nothing whatsoever to the debt collector.
- Multi-million-dollar settlement against Midland Funding (aka Midland Credit Management).
- Creator of DocketWrangler — legal tech to help attorneys serve the underserved.
The thirty-day clock started when you were served.
Talk with me for fifteen minutes, free. No form, no card, no pressure — just a conversation about what you are facing.
Schedule a free consultation