Ervin Shakaj
Dispute Resolution Unit
Trainee Legal Executive
01423 566666
ervin.shakaj@raworths.co.uk
Background
Born in Albania
Educated: Quentin Kynaston College and Leeds Metropolitan University
Joined Raworths in 2007
Affiliate of Institute of Legal Executives
Legal specialisation
Ervin is a member of the Dispute Resolution Unit and assists Jonathan Mortimer and Matthew Hill as well as managing a number of matters himself. Ervin is presently studying for the Legal Executive qualification.
Experience
Matters Ervin assists upon include the following:
- Management of credit control for clients
- Issuing debt collection proceedings
- Enforcing judgments
- Assisting colleagues with management of larger cases.
In conversation
Where do you find clients can go wrong with their credit control?
Many clients have good procedures in place which avoid bad debts. However, problems can still arise in circumstances where insufficient checks have been made by the client on the customer before dealing with them, allowing customers too much credit and also not incorporating their terms and conditions in the trading agreement to put them in the driving seat.
Do you believe in giving debtors more time to pay?
This must depend on the individual case. However, we operate in a business world in which those creditors which chase the hardest get paid the soonest. I have seen too many circumstances in which clients have provided more time to debtors only to find that the business ultimately fails and they may have obtained at least some payment if they had taken a more aggressive stance.
What is the most frequent excuse you hear for non payment?
It is still the classic “cheque in the post”.
Does the Court system have sufficient teeth to get judgment paid?
I recognise that many businesses have experience of obtaining a judgment but not getting paid. I do believe that the Court does have at its disposal numerous methods of enforcement that have a good prospect of getting money out of the debtor if there is money to be had. For example, instructing a Bailiff or High Court Enforcement Officer, third party debt orders , charging orders on property, an attachment of earnings order and the ultimate sanction of bankruptcy or winding-up. The key consideration is to assess the chances of being paid before embarking on complex litigation.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
I get a sense of satisfaction from recovering debts which appear difficult and where the client has almost given up hope of a recovery. I also enjoy Court hearings.
What else do you do at Raworths?
In addition to the client matters I deal with, I also assist internally with a number of compliance and accounting matters for Raworths.
What do you do outside the office?
I am a frequent runner, play the guitar and like travelling.
