Commercial Law League Releases Revised Collection Agency Certification Program

The Commercial Law League of America (CLLA) debuted its newly revised commercial collection agency certification program on May 14, 2014. Many of the current certification program elements remain the same, including validation of trust accounts, bonding requirements and on-site facility audits.

Some of the significant changes include a higher level of program impartiality, with documentation review and facility audits managed by the CLLA and its third-party agent, Acumen Solutions Group, LLC.

In addition, with the program, agency certification costs have decreased, in some cases by as much as 33 percent. The decrease is attributed to a more efficient control of the program costs, which has been accomplished without compromising the program’s integrity.

“We are excited about the new commercial collection agency certification program,” said Anthony Hilvers, executive vice president of the CLLA. “The revised program retains the rigor credit grantors require in a certification program and will be objectively conducted and controlled by the CLLA, the oldest creditors’ rights organization in the U.S.”

“Acumen is thrilled to serve as an independent third-party auditing agent for the CLLA in the administration of its Commercial Collection Agency Certification Program,” Acumen President & CEO Anthony D’Elia said. “This role is a good fit for Acumen, based on the auditing and compliance services we currently provide to the ARM industry.”

Collection agencies that are interested in applying for commercial collection agency certification can visit the CLLA website at http://www.CLLA.org for more information on the program.

Since 1895, the not-for-profit Commercial Law League of America has connected experienced attorneys with credit grantors, lending institutions and other commercial credit, bankruptcy and general finance industry members through networking, education, legislative advocacy and specialized legal services. The association’s members include attorneys, collection agencies, judges, accountants, trustees, turnaround managers and other credit and finance experts. For more information on the CLLA, please visit http://www.CLLA.org.

Acumen Solutions Group, LLC, is a full-service ARM support company, offering several products and services designed to meet specific and complex auditing, compliance, and risk planning needs of ARM trade organizations, network management companies, collection agencies, debt buyers, and law firms. Acumen currently performs independent, third-party compliance audits on behalf of passive debt buyers and legal and agency network management firms. In addition, Acumen has received recognition as a DBA International “Approved” Independent Third Party Auditing Firm for the performance of Compliance Audits for the Debt Buyer Certification Program. Acumen is headquartered in Melville, N.Y. For more information about Acumen and its services, call (631) 719-5511 or visit http://www.acumensolutionsgroupllc.com