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Hopkins Lawyers Debt recovery - Commercial Litigation - Insolvency We promise to deliver you experienced legal advice, fast.

My job isn’t to make your legal problem sound complicated.It’s to make a complicated problem easier to understand. ...
15/10/2026

My job isn’t to make your legal problem sound complicated.

It’s to make a complicated problem easier to understand.

Court is sometimes necessary.But if there’s a sensible way to solve the problem without going there, I’m interested. ...
13/10/2026

Court is sometimes necessary.

But if there’s a sensible way to solve the problem without going there, I’m interested.

Debt recovery is not just about getting a judgment.I have acted for creditors for many years, including businesses deali...
11/10/2026

Debt recovery is not just about getting a judgment.

I have acted for creditors for many years, including businesses dealing with substantial unpaid debts and large debtor ledgers.

But there is an important question that sometimes gets overlooked:

What is the commercial objective?

A judgment is not necessarily the end of the problem.

Can the debtor pay?

What assets are available?

Is the debtor trading?

Are there other creditors?

Is there a director or related entity involved?

Would insolvency proceedings be appropriate?

Would negotiation produce a better commercial result?

And, perhaps most importantly, how much should you spend trying to recover the money?

I don't think debt recovery should automatically mean throwing more legal work at a problem.

The strategy needs to make economic sense.

Sometimes the right answer is straightforward recovery action.

Sometimes it requires investigation and pressure.

And sometimes the best advice is to stop spending money on a debt that is unlikely to be recovered.

The job isn't simply to recover a debt.

It is to help the client make a commercially sensible decision about the debt.

After nearly 20 years in litigation, I’ve learnt one thing:The problem is rarely quite as simple as the first email sugg...
08/10/2026

After nearly 20 years in litigation, I’ve learnt one thing:

The problem is rarely quite as simple as the first email suggests.

Sometimes the best legal strategy is not to go to court. After many years working in commercial disputes, one thing I h...
06/10/2026

Sometimes the best legal strategy is not to go to court. After many years working in commercial disputes, one thing I have learned is that being legally right and getting a commercially sensible outcome are not always the same thing. Court proceedings can be expensive, stressful and time-consuming. There are no guarantees about the outcome, and even a successful party may not recover every dollar spent. That is why I like to start by asking:

What are we actually trying to achieve?

Sometimes that means negotiating a sensible resolution.

Sometimes it means putting someone in a position where they have to take the matter seriously.

Sometimes it means preparing carefully for litigation so that the other side understands you are ready to proceed.

And sometimes, yes, it means going to court.

Good legal advice isn't simply about knowing the law. It is about understanding the problem, identifying the options and helping the client make a decision with their eyes open.

Calm. Clarity. Care. That is how I like to approach difficult legal problems.

AI is booming. But what happens when the money gets tighter?Right now, businesses are investing heavily in AI, infrastru...
04/10/2026

AI is booming. But what happens when the money gets tighter?

Right now, businesses are investing heavily in AI, infrastructure and software. But every investment eventually has to answer the same question: Is it actually creating value?

When economic conditions tighten, CFOs and CEOs have less room for projects that are expensive but difficult to justify. “Everyone else is doing it” stops being a sufficient business case. If an AI tool isn’t delivering the promised return, it may be one of the first expenses to go. And when enough businesses make that decision, the effects can travel well beyond the technology sector.

One thing I’ve learned about insolvency is that businesses rarely get into trouble because of one decision. It is usually the accumulation of decisions that no longer make commercial sense and lack of taking action early enough. Good businesses keep asking difficult questions early.

Is this investment still working for us?
What happens if revenue falls?
Where are our real risks?
And what can we do now, while we still have choices?

That is where good legal and commercial advice can make a difference. Being calm and commercial before the problem becomes a crisis.

I established Hopkins Lawyers in 2008. Since then, I have had the privilege of helping people through some very diffic...
01/10/2026

I established Hopkins Lawyers in 2008. Since then, I have had the privilege of helping people through some very difficult situations. I have acted in matters involving:

• commercial disputes
• debt recovery
• bankruptcy
• corporate insolvency
• asset recovery
• contractual disputes
• shareholder and business disputes
• litigation and court proceedings
• negotiations and mediation
• creditors, trustees and liquidators.

I have acted for individuals, business owners, companies, creditors, debtors, trustees, liquidators, finance businesses and government departments.

One of the things I have learned is that there is rarely a perfect answer. There are options, risks, costs and consequences. The skill for me is working out which of those matter most in the particular situation.

I enjoy solving difficult problems. I enjoy investigating what has actually happened, working through the evidence, finding the legal issues and developing a strategy. But I also understand that, for the client, this isn't an intellectual exercise. It is their business. Their money. Their reputation. Their life. Sometimes their future.

For me, that deserves professionalism, the best care, dignity and respect.

Sometimes the best legal advice is: “Don’t send that email.” It’s surprisingly valuable advice.
29/09/2026

Sometimes the best legal advice is: “Don’t send that email.” It’s surprisingly valuable advice.

Most business disputes don’t start in court. They start with silence. Unanswered emails. Late payments. “Next week” tha...
27/09/2026

Most business disputes don’t start in court. They start with silence. Unanswered emails. Late payments. “Next week” that never comes. After 17+ years in dispute resolution, I can say this confidently: the earlier you get advice, the more options you keep.

Someone owes you money.The real question isn’t “Can we recover it?”It’s “Should we spend money trying?”
25/09/2026

Someone owes you money.

The real question isn’t “Can we recover it?”

It’s “Should we spend money trying?”

Address

140 William Street
Melbourne, VIC
3000

Opening Hours

Monday 8:45am - 5:30pm
Tuesday 8:45am - 5:30pm
Wednesday 8:45am - 5:30pm
Thursday 8:45am - 5:30pm
Friday 8:45am - 5:30pm

Telephone

+61396078279

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