When he answered these questions recently, Harvey Moore was getting ready to become a grandparent for the second time. The former president of NARCA, the National Creditor’s Bar Association, Moore has strong advice for anyone who makes the collections industry their professional home: get involved. Despite his love of being a grandparent, Moore hasn’t lost his love for the law. Even if given the chance to do anything else other than be in collections, he says he would still be representing small and mid-sized businesses. Read on to learn more about Harvey and why you might not want to bother him on the weekend.
Name: Harvey Moore
Company: The Moore Law Group,
Length of time at current company: 9 ½ years
Length of time in industry: I have been representing financial institutions since 1986 in connection with special projects and defense work. I started working in volume commercial collections in approximately 1996 and in retail collections in 1999.
How did you get your start in the industry?
As with many in this industry, my initial contact was through a friend that I had gone to law school with. He worked for one of the larger bank and asked me to work on some special projects, charge back recoveries and defense work, starting in about 1986. With respect to volume commercial collections, in 1996, I was contacted by a group that my then firm had successfully sued in connection with a significant 
business dispute a few years previously. They had acquired a commercial collections group and were looking for California counsel to service their portfolio and asked if I was interested. Then, in 1997 or 1998, one of my bank clients asked me to get involved in putting an accord and satisfaction mill out of business. As a “reward” for a job well done, they asked if I was interested in doing retail collections for them. They placed 49 files with me in December of 1999 and have been placing with me ever since.
What is your career highlight so far?
I have to say that I have two career highlights so far. The first would be spinning off my collection practice from my prior firm, opening The Moore Law Group on July 1, 2008 and watching it grow from a one-state firm to what is now a five-state firm and growing. The second career highlight has to be my years on the Board of Directors of the National Creditors Bar Association and especially my recently ended two-year term as its President.
When or how are you most productive?
I am usually most productive on the weekends when the phones are not ringing, the emails are not coming in, and I can focus on the issues that take more time to address.
Which industry professional do you admire most?
As we approach the 25th anniversary of the formation of NARCA – the National Creditors Bar Association, I would have to say that I admire the 20 collections attorneys who met in November 1992 to discuss how to develop the retail collection business. The result of that meeting was the creation of NARCA.
What is one thing you do better than everyone else?
I don’t think that there is anything that I do better than everyone else. I am proud of my accomplishments in life and in this industry, but I don’t think I am better than all of the other members of this industry in any one particular area by any stretch of the imagination.
What do you like most about this industry?
The vast majority of those in this industry play by the rules and seek to work with those who have, due to unforeseen circumstances, fallen behind on their legitimately owing debt.
What is one thing you wish you could change about this industry?
During my term as NARCA President, Rep. David Trott [R-Mich.] introduced H.R. 1849, the Practice of Law Technical Clarification Act of 2017. My hope is that this bi-partisan bill will become law. In addition, I wish the regulators were more encouraging of communications between our industry and consumers and other obligors. In my perfect world, the collections industry would have clear safe harbors with respect to what phone messages we can leave for consumers and what we can put in written correspondence. I would also like to see the regulators help us communicate better with millennials through chat, email, and texting.
If you weren’t in this industry, what would you be doing?
I would probably be representing small to mid-size business as their outside business and litigation counsel.
Describe a typical work day.
In the office by 7 am. Responding to emails (400-to-600 per day) and calls from clients and staff. Conducting meetings with the various department heads. Working with my wife Leslie (our Operations Manager) on automation projects, process management, and control improvements.
What is your guilty pleasure?
Travel. Leslie is a travel writer for LA Travel Magazine so I get to be the plus one on the trips she takes for work.
What is the best advice you’ve ever received?
If you are going to be involved in an industry, get involved in the trade organizations and speak at conferences.
What are you currently reading?
“Black Light” by Stephen Hunter. I just finished “The Silent Corner” by Dean Koontz and will probably read “Sleeping Beauties” by Stephen and Owen King next.
What is one fact you’d like everyone in the industry to know about you?
I am expecting my second granddaughter in a month.
Who else would you like to see answer these questions?
Mark Groves
