A debt recovery lawyer helps you recover the amounts owed to you, whether you are an individual or a business. Unpaid debts cause significant financial stress, and a lawyer implements an effective strategy to recover your money as quickly as possible.

The first step is sending a formal notice to the debtor. This official legal document, drafted by your lawyer, identifies the debt, its exact amount including accumulated interest, and sets a precise deadline for payment. A lawyer's formal notice has a much greater impact than a simple payment reminder — it demonstrates your serious intention to pursue legal action and is often enough to trigger payment.

If the debtor still refuses to pay after the formal notice, your lawyer files a lawsuit. They prepare the proceedings, gather evidence of the debt (contracts, invoices, purchase orders, account statements), and represent you before the court. The goal is to obtain a judgment condemning the debtor to pay the amount owed plus interest and court costs.

Once the judgment is obtained, if the debtor still does not pay voluntarily, your lawyer proceeds with forced execution measures. They can request wage garnishment directly from the debtor's employer, freeze and seize their bank accounts, seize their movable or immovable property, or register a legal hypothec on their property.

Your lawyer also verifies prescription deadlines to ensure your claim is still enforceable — in Quebec, the general deadline is three years. For businesses, they can implement systematic recovery procedures for outstanding accounts and draft stricter payment terms for future contracts. When the debtor demonstrates a temporary inability to pay, the lawyer negotiates installment payment agreements that protect your interests while remaining realistic.