A Law Firm, Not a Collection Agency

Mary Molloy Solicitors, established 1981. Advice on whether to pursue — before advice on how.

45+

Years, Established 1981

Creditor

& Debtor Advice

Judgment

& Enforcement

Fees Agreed

in Writing at the Outset

Why the Distinction Is Not Cosmetic

An agency paid a percentage of what it recovers has an obvious interest in pursuing every debt on your ledger, and no particular interest in telling you that a debtor has no assets, that a claim may be statute-barred, or that a dispute is genuine and about to become expensive litigation. A solicitor is prohibited from calculating fees as a percentage or proportion of any award or settlement in contentious business, which removes that distortion at the root. The practical consequence is the one that matters to you: the first conversation here is about whether to pursue, and it includes the answer “this one is not worth issuing” where that is the truth. There is nothing wrong with agencies for high-volume, low-value, undisputed ledgers — that is what they are built for. There is a great deal wrong with taking legal advice from one, or with a recovery strategy in which nobody is paid to tell you to stop.

Both Sides, Never the Same Debt — and the Questions Behind the Debt

The firm acts for creditors and, in different matters, for debtors — never both sides of the same debt, with conflicts checked at first contact before any substantive discussion. On the creditor side: demand, proceedings, judgment, enforcement. On the debtor side: whether the debt is barred, whether the sum is right, whether there is a genuine dispute or set-off, whether the demand itself was lawful, and what arrangement is realistically achievable. Seeing both sides across different files produces better advice on each, because it produces realistic predictions about what the other side will actually do. And debts rarely arrive alone. A company debtor raises solvency and directors’ duties questions and the line between legitimate leverage and abuse of process — that runs alongside the firm’s company practice. A debt secured on property raises title and judgment mortgage questions. A construction debt may engage separate statutory payment machinery, handled with constructionlawsolicitor.ie. A deceased debtor raises estate questions. Since 1981 this firm has worked across company, property, construction, probate and dispute matters, which is why those adjacent questions get identified rather than missed.

Worth Pursuing, or Not?

The first question is not whether the debt is owed but whether you will be paid if you win. Send the amount, the age of the debt, what documents exist and what you know about the debtor - and you get the arithmetic before the pitch.

Call 01 5827148

Richard O’Shea — Solicitor

Solicitor at Mary Molloy Solicitors, established 1981, with offices at The Ormond Building on Ormond Quay — a short walk from the Four Courts. The firm advises creditors on recovery and enforcement, and, in separate matters, advises debtors who have received demands or proceedings. It is a law firm and not a debt collection agency: fees are agreed in writing at the outset and are never calculated as a percentage or proportion of what is recovered. 01 5827148 · richardoshea@marymolloysolicitors.com · LinkedIn

About the Practice - FAQs

Because the incentives differ, and the incentives drive the advice. An agency paid a percentage of what it recovers has a straightforward interest in pursuing every debt, and no particular interest in telling you that a debtor has no assets, that a debt is statute-barred, or that a dispute is genuine and expensive. A solicitor is prohibited from calculating fees as a percentage or proportion of any award or settlement in contentious business, which removes that distortion entirely. It also means the advice you receive at the outset - whether to pursue at all, and what the realistic arithmetic is - is advice rather than a sales conversation. There is nothing wrong with agencies for volume, low-value, undisputed ledgers. There is a great deal wrong with taking legal advice from one.

General information, not legal advice. This website contains general information about Irish law on debt recovery and enforcement. It is not legal advice and does not create a solicitor—client relationship. Every debt turns on its own facts — the documents, the dates, the parties and the debtor’s circumstances — and advice on yours requires a consultation. Statutory thresholds and figures referred to on this site are subject to change and should be confirmed before any step is taken.

A law firm, not a debt collection agency. Mary Molloy Solicitors provides legal advice and representation. It does not operate as a debt collection agency and does not conduct collection campaigns. Fees are agreed in writing with the client at the outset and are never calculated as a percentage or proportion of any sum recovered. In contentious business, a solicitor may not calculate fees or other charges as a percentage or proportion of any award or settlement.

No outcome is promised. Nothing on this site states or implies that any debt will be recovered, that any asset will be found, that any enforcement step will succeed, or that any claim will succeed. Recovery depends substantially on the debtor’s means, which are frequently unknown at the outset.

How payment may be demanded is regulated. Section 11 of the Consumer Credit Act 1995 makes it an offence to make a demand for payment by means calculated to cause alarm, distress or humiliation, or falsely to represent that legal proceedings have been or will be issued. Nothing on this site should be read as encouraging any such conduct. Mortgage arrears on a principal private residence are dealt with under a separate regulatory framework and are outside the scope of this site.

If you are the person being pursued. Free, confidential and independent money advice is available in Ireland from MABS, the Money Advice and Budgeting Service, and through the Abhaile scheme for people in mortgage arrears. You do not have to engage a solicitor to get help, and taking advice early generally improves the options available. This firm advises debtors in matters separate from those in which it acts for a creditor, and never both sides of the same debt — conflicts are checked before any substantive discussion.

Tax. Nothing on this website is tax advice. Questions about VAT on recovered sums, bad debt relief or the treatment of write-offs belong with your accountant or tax adviser and with Revenue’s own guidance.