Monday, February 2, 2015

Elise Manchester (Profile of Zwicker & Associates Debt Collection Attorney)


ELISE MANCHESTER - Individual profile of debt collection attorney at major firm suing on consumer credit card debt.  

Elise D. Manchester is an attorney with the Texas branch of ZWICKER & ASSOCIATES P.C., a debt collection firm operating in more than a dozen states.

Manchester is a graduate from Baylor, where she earned her Doctor of Jurisprudence degree in 2009. She lists her practice areas as Business, Litigation: Commercial, which is interesting, given that ZWICKER is best known for suing on consumer debt on behalf of such creditors as Discover Bank and American Express. The listed areas apparently reflect the nature of her caseload at the lawfirm she was previously associated with: HARRELL PAILET & ASSOCIATES, PC. Her docket there reflected a wider range of clients, compared to the caseload at Zwicker, and greater complexity of issues.

Ms. Elise Diane Manchester's Texas Bar Card Number is 24070566. She does not use her middle name and signs herself as Elise Manchester. It appears that she does not yet sign pleadings as an attorney of record in debt collection suits filed on behalf of ZWICKER's clients in Texas.  (See image of address block and signature sample below).

Manchester is also admitted to practice in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas. She obtained her license to practice law in Texas in November 2009, the same year she graduated from law school. As of 2014, she is not licensed in any other state.

ATTORNEY MANCHESTER'S FORMER LAW FIRM AFFILIATION

Elise Manchester was previously associated with HARRELL PAILET & ASSOCIATES, PC, a Dallas law firm that also engaged in debt collection litigation, albeit with emphasis on commercial contract disputes rather than consumer debt. 

FELLOW ATTORNEYS AT THE FIRM MS. MANCHESTER IS CURRENTLY WITH  

As of 2015 Manchester's colleagues in Texas (on the law firm address block with her) are:
Troy D. Bolen, Laura L. Bedford, and Leslie L. Sun. 

LAW FIRM ADDRESS 

ZWICKER & ASSOCIATES P.C.
1 CHISOLM TRAIL, SUITE 301
ROUND ROCK TEXAS 78681
5122180488
5122180477

A previous post on this blawg provided more detailed information about ZWICKER & ASSOCIATES and its debt collection practice in Texas. One of the attorneys previously on the address block has left the firm: Audrie L. Lawton. Elise Manchester appears to be the replacement. ZWICKER currently lists four attorney's on the pleadings it files in Texas courts. 

NONLAWYER STAFF:

Holly Cocherham, Litigation Assistant

Notaries used: Mandy Backlund, Janis L Selucky, Anna Pometta-Glick  

CIVIL PROCESS SERVICE USED BY THE FIRM  

ZWICKER uses ABC Legal to serve citations and petition (suit papers) on the people the firms sues for unpaid credit card debt in Texas.

UNIFORM PLEADINGS FOR ALL ZWICKER ATTORNEYS LITIGATING IN TEXAS 
   
The Zwicker & Associates law firm uses pleadings and motion templates that are identical for all attorneys. The address block on pleadings and motions lists all attorneys involved in debt collection litigation with boxes preceding their respective names. The attorney that signs on the line provided for the signature also checks the appropriate box below by hand. 
     
TYPICAL PLEADINGS BY ZWICKER ATTORNEYS  
    
The standard pleading template has not changed. Zwicker's petition consists of three pages without any attachments in the form of affidavits or copies of account statements. They seek recovery for breach of contract, but do not seek application of the law that governs the creditor and is shown in the choice-of-law paragraph of the applicable card member agreement or customer agreement. For American Express, that is Utah, for Discover Bank, it is Delaware. 
    
RELATED PRIOR POSTS 
  
Troy Bolen Attorney Review (2013 with 2014 update) 

DOCUMENT EXCERPTS / SAMPLE PLEADINGS / IMAGES 

How Attorney Elise Manchester signs 
Leslie L. Sun - Zwicker & Associates Attorney in Texas (signature and address block from pleading)
List of Zwicker Attorneys in Texas Debt Collection Suits
as of Jan 2015 (Leslie L. Sun signature and check in box) 
SAMPLE VERIFICATION FROM MOTION TO RETAIN CASE ON DOCKET 
(no timely service upon the defendant)


EXAMPLE OF NON-MILITARY AFFIDAVIT FILED IN SUPPORT OF DEFAULT JUDGMENT


EXAMPLE OF ZWICKER MOTION TO RETAIN TO PREVENT CASE FROM BEING DISMISSED FOR WANT OF PROSECUTION (DWOP) FILED BY ATTORNEY MANCHESTER