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Alongside hiring a lawyer, a good debt collector can ensure that you get paid sooner rather than later.

Of course, it all depends on why the client isn't paying. If they're legitimately out of money then the likelihood that you won't get paid (or will only get a fraction of what you're owed) increases dramatically. I've been in a position where a client withheld funds when they could easily pay, and a debt collector had the money over to us within the day.