In November 1992 in New York City, 20 collection attorneys met to discuss how to develop retail collection business. They unanimously agreed that a new association should be formed to foster the idea.
At the time, nobody – including creditors – knew who the biggest law firm in each state was, or even who practiced in this field of law. NARCA saw the need to identify retail collection law firms, bind them together, and let creditors know what their members could provide to them.
Don Kramer, NARCA’s first president, rented a small space near his office in St. Louis and hired an Executive Director. Almost immediately, 740 law firms indicated they wanted to be a part of NARCA, although disputes with commercial collection agencies led to a dropout of some initial members. Almost all have now rejoined NARCA.
The first NARCA Collection Conference was held at the Riviera Hotel in Las Vegas in 1993, with 444 attendees. In addition, NARCA developed a Membership Directory for distribution among creditors. NARCA kept growing as the benefits of an association devoted to law firms that collect consumer debt became increasingly obvious.
Mission
“The National Creditors Bar Association (NARCA) is a trade association dedicated
to serving law firms engaged in the practice of creditors rights law.”
The National Creditors Bar Association Quick Overview
- Creditors rights attorneys in over 500 law firms and other creditors rights practices.
- Over 3,000 attorneys in 50 states, Canada, Puerto Rico and the United Kingdom
- 95%+ of firms considered law firm small businesses under the Small Business Administration (SBA) classification 1
- 52% of firms with 25 employees or less
- 53% practice creditors right law in multi-state jurisdictions
- 27% are woman- and minority-owned law firms
- 75% are members of their State Creditor Bar Association
- 19 creditors rights practice groups including:
Type and % of firms practicing
| Commercial Collections | 73% | Landlord/Tenant | 39% |
| Credit Cards | 73% | Liens/Mechanic’s Liens | 38% |
| Judgment Enforcement | 71% | Foreclosure | 34% |
| Auto Loan | 61% | Insurance Subrogation | 30% |
| Contracts – General | 58% | Probate | 25% |
| Credit Unions | 60% | FDCPA Defense | 24% |
| Medical Bills | 52% | Utilities/Communications | 22% |
| Repossession/Replevin | 47% | Government/Tax | 17% |
| Student Loans | 45% | Family Support | 9% |
| Bankruptcy | 43% |
In October 2015, NARCA Membership approved the passage of Bylaws to open its membership to all creditors rights attorneys and took on the organizational name – NARCA – The NATIONAL CREDITORS BAR ASSOCIATION.
For more information contact Robin Cole, Associate Executive Director. Interested in finding out more about NARCA? Join us at the Cosmopolitan Hotel, Las Vegas, NV October 26-29, 2016 for the NARCA 2016 Fall Conference. Find out more by visiting www.narca.org.
_______________________
1. SBA definition of law firm small business (Under $11 million in gross revenues)
