Have you been contacted by Noack Law Firm about an outstanding debt? Before moving forward with communications with the company, it’s important to understand how this company works, what to do if you get a phone call or email from them, and your rights when dealing with debt collection attorneys like Noack Law Firm.
Who is Noack Law Firm?
Noack Law Firm, PLLC is a Texas-based law firm that serves its clients in several different areas of practice, including insurance subrogation and defense, debt and judgment collection, and receiverships. If you’re hearing from them, there’s a good chance they’re trying to collect a debt.
Is Noack Law Firm Legitimate?
Noack Law Firm is a legitimate law firm that practices in Texas. Its founder, Carolyn Noack, and her husband, Craig Noack, both partners in the firm, are authorized by the State Bar of Texas to practice law in Texas.
That being said, just because Noack is a legitimate law firm doesn’t mean you may not run into problems with them. As a debt collection firm, they’re likely to face scrutiny from borrowers and debt relief attorneys alike. It’s important to proceed with caution and understand your rights when dealing with them.
Overview of Noack Law Firm
Noack Law Firm was founded in 2007 by Carolyn Noack after she spent two decades in insurance subrogation and defense law. Her husband Craig, who has experience in creditor representation in bankruptcy courts, later joined the firm.
Noack Law Firm represents both individuals and businesses in Texas in:
- Insurance subrogation and defense for everything from small car accidents to large commercial claims of product liability
- Debt and judgment collection for Texas creditors having trouble collecting debts
- Receiverships for the enforcement of judgments, such as finding non-exempt assets to seize from debtors to satisfy debt collection judgments
Noack Law Firm Reviews and Complaints
Noack Law Firm has an F rating with the Better Business Bureau (BBB). The BBB cites the law firm’s number of complaints as a key reason for this rating, as well as its failure to respond to some of its complaints. While the firm only has four customer reviews on the BBB website, they’re generally negative — it has an average rating of 1/5 stars.
Understanding How Noack Law Firm Operates
As a debt collection law firm, Noack helps its clients, who are typically creditors, collect unpaid debts like credit card debt. It helps creditors sue and pursue judgments against borrowers who haven’t fully repaid their debts. It also helps creditors satisfy judgments, even if that means placing holds on their bank account or seizing other non-exempt assets.
Dealing with Noack Law Firm
What Should I Do If I Receive a Letter or Call From Noack Law Firm?
If you’re contacted by Noack Law Firm about your debt, your first step is to make sure the communication is really coming from the law firm. Scammers often target the debt collection industry, and you want to make sure that’s not what’s happening.
Start by carefully reviewing the letter and comparing the contact information to that provided on the firm’s website. You can also contact the firm directly to ask whether they sent the letter.
Once you’ve confirmed the communication is legitimately from Noack Law Firm, you can ask the company to validate the debt — they’re required to do this in writing — so you can plan your next steps.
Handling Communications From Noack Law Firm
Make sure to document all of your communications with Noack Law Firm. Maintain copies of any letters you receive, and thoroughly document any phone calls, including the date and time, the person you spoke with, and the details of the call.
If Noack Law Firm ends up suing you later on behalf of a creditor, these records may be useful.
Knowing Your Rights Against Noack Law Firm
The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) restricts how debt collectors may contact you. Here are some rights you have when dealing with debt collectors or attorneys:
- Validation of debts: If a debt collector contacts you about an unpaid debt, they must provide a written validation of your debt within five days that includes the debt amount, creditor name, and other information.
- Time and place restrictions: Debt collectors can only contact you between the hours of 8:00 AM and 9:00 PM. They can’t contact you at any time or location they know to be inconvenient for you or at work if they know your employer prohibits such calls.
- Third-party and social media communication: Debt collectors can’t talk about your debt with anyone else unless you’ve given them express permission to do so. They also can’t publicly post about your debt on social media.
- Ceasing communication: Debt collectors must stop contacting you if you’ve notified them in writing that you refuse to pay the debt or that you wish them to cease all further communication.
- Harmful practices: Debt collectors can’t engage in harmful practices, including harassment, abuse, false or misleading representations, or unfair conduct, when contacting you to collect an unpaid debt.
- Attorney representation: You have the right to have an attorney represent you when dealing with the debt collector or its attorneys. If you hire an attorney, the debt collector can no longer contact you — they can only contact your attorney.
The Legal Side of Noack Law Firm
Common Legal Issues With Debt Collection Law Firms
Noack Law Firm handles debt collection and receiverships, which means that if a creditor has hired them, they’re likely planning to sue for an unpaid debt or need help collecting on an existing judgment. Unfortunately, that means that if you’re hearing from the firm, there’s a good chance they’re planning to take legal action.
Creditors have the right to sue to collect unpaid debts, but you also have rights as a borrower. It’s important to understand your rights and consider hiring a debt relief attorney to represent you against Noack and your creditor.
What Happens If You Get Sued by Noack Law Firm
If you’ve been sued by Noack Law Firm or any debt collection law firm, it’s important to take appropriate steps to protect yourself. Having legal representation from an experienced debt relief attorney can help make navigating this process easier. Here’s how the process will go if you’re being sued:
- Receive the complaint: If Noack is suing you, the first thing that will happen is you’ll receive the legal complaint, which will detail the creditor’s claims against you.
- Receive the complaint: Once you receive the complaint, it’s important to read it over carefully and make sure you understand it thoroughly.
- Seek legal advice: If you’re considering hiring a debt relief attorney, now is the best time to do it. They can guide you through the process and handle the rest for you.
- Respond to the complaint: You’ll have to respond to the complaint within a certain number of days (often 20 to 30) or risk an default judgment against you.
- Discovery process: Both sides of the case, meaning you and Noack, are required to share relevant documentation about the debt and the lawsuit.
- Negotiations and settlement: Before you go to court, you may have the opportunity to negotiate with Noack to try to settle the deb out of court.
- Trial: If you can’t reach a debt settlement agreement, you and Noack will go to court, where you’ll both have the opportunity to make your case.
- Judgment: The trial ends with a judgment, where the judge will state whether you’re required to pay the creditor and how much.
Texas is unique in that it doesn’t allow wage garnishment except in very specific situations, such as child support, spousal support debt, or federal debts. Noack can’t garnish your wages to satisfy a judgment. However, the state does allow bank account garnishment. Noack may — and often does — seek this type of collection. To avoid having your bank account garnished, it’s critical that you follow the legal process.
How to Negotiate With Noack Law Firm
Check to Make Sure Noack Law Firm Isn’t a Scam
We’ve already established that Noack Law Firm is a legitimate debt collection attorney, but that doesn’t mean any communication you receive claiming to be from them actually is. Before negotiating with Noack or entering into any further communication, make sure the letter or phone call you’ve received is legitimate.
To help ease your concerns, know that Noack is required to validate your debt in writing if you request they do so. Additionally, a debt relief attorney can help look into your communications from Noack to determine if they’re legitimate.
Strategies for Negotiating With Debt Collection Firm Noack Law Firm
If Noack sues you — or you’re concerned that they may sue you — you can negotiate with the firm to try to avoid going to trial. You’ll still end up having to pay something, but you may be able to negotiate a settlement that’s less than you currently owe especially if you hire an experienced debt help attorney to be on your side.
The first thing to do when negotiating with Noack is to hire someone to represent you. An attorney who is experienced in dealing with debt collection will likely be able to negotiate a better settlement than you could on your own.
Going into your negotiations, it’s also important to have an offer in mind. Review your financial situation to determine how much you can afford to pay, either as a lump sum or a series of payments.
Finally, remain professional in all of your communications with Noack, and make sure to get everything in writing, especially if they agree to any settlement terms. If you have an attorney representing you, you’ll do all of this on your behalf.
How to Protect Against Lawsuits and Debt Collection
Steps to Take If You’re Contacted by Noack Law Firm
As a recap, here are the first steps you should take if you’re contacted by Noack Law Firm about an unpaid debt:
- Verify its legitimacy: Make sure the letter or phone call you’ve received is really from Noack Law Firm and not from a scammer impersonating the firm.
- Validate the debt: Ask Noack to provide a debt validation letter before you engage in any further communications.
- Consult a debt help attorney: Once you know the debt is yours, consult an experienced debt relief attorney to discuss your options and get personalized advice.
- Decide on your next steps: At this point, you can decide whether to pay the debt, negotiate a settlement, or take the case to trial.
Filing a Complaint Against Noack Law Firm
If you believe Noack Law Firm or any debt collection agency has violated your rights under the FDCPA at any point, you can file a complaint with the proper channels. While this won’t erase your debt, it will stop the company’s harmful debt collection practices and could be a defense in court.
Here are some agencies and organizations where you can consider filing complaints:
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB)
- Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
- State Attorney General
- Better Business Bureau (BBB)
Noack Law Firm Phone Number and Address
If you need to contact Noack Law Firm about your outstanding debt or a pending debt collection lawsuit, here’s how to reach them:
- Phone: 210-963-5733
- Email: office@noacklawfirm.com
- Address: 24165 IH-10 West, Suite 217-418, San Antonio, TX 78257
How Can a Debt Settlement Attorney Help?
If you’ve been contacted or are facing a lawsuit from Noack Law Firm, a debt relief attorney can help. Attorneys have plenty of experience dealing with debt collectors. Not only can they help you negotiate a better settlement, but they can take over all communications with Noack and help eliminate some of the stress of being the target of debt collection.
Tayne Law Group offers a free phone consultation with one of our experienced debt relief attorneys. If you want to learn more about having an attorney represent you against Noack, contact our offices at (866) 890-7337 or fill out our short contact form. We never share or sell your information, and all conversations are confidential.
FAQs
Why would Noack Law Firm contact me?
Noack Law Firm deals in debt collection and receiverships. If they’re contacting you, it may be that they’re representing a creditor you owe money to or a judgment has been issued against you due to an unpaid debt, and Noack is trying to satisfy the judgment.
How do you know if a law firm is legit?
You can determine that a law firm is legitimate by checking its status with your state’s bar association. You can check the status of both the law firm and its partner attorneys to make sure it’s a legitimate firm.
How do I respond to a debt collection letter from a lawyer?
If you receive a debt collection letter from an collection attorney, start by asking the debt collection law firm to validate the debt, which they’re required to do in writing. Once you’ve received a debt validation letter, you can decide whether to proceed on your own or hire a debt settlement attorney. Keep in mind that if the firm sues you, you’ll have to respond within a certain amount of time or risk a judgment against you.
