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For as long as he has been a lawyer, the credit and collection industry is all that Peter Fish has known. Perhaps it’s the mix of law and business that the industry provides, or that it allows him to take advantage of his interest and ability to be open and collaborative. You’ll agree that someone who takes pride in pointing out a fact related to business growth while not having any staff turnover is not only someone who is good at his job, but also focused on the right objectives. Read on to learn more about Peter, how even his side hustle is industry-related, and how animals fit into his dream job.
Name: Peter Fish
Job Title: In-House Defense Litigation
Company: Genesis Credit Recovery (also owner of Law Offices of Peter N. Fish, Esq. LLC – my private firm that specialized in collection of unpaid rent in New Jersey)
Length of time at current company: Six months
Length of time in industry: 20 years
How did you get your start in the industry?
After I finished a clerkship for a Judge I needed a job and found one at Pressler & Pressler. From there my career path has kept me in the industry with some ventures in-house and also doing some Landlord/Tenant work as well.
What is your career highlight so far?
– Running an office that was profitable every month for over a decade, while having no turnover in staff of 10 for three years;
– Getting a firm sanctioned for failure to bring any clients to a settlement conference;
– Also getting an FDCPA Complaint dismissed that had been filed by Legal Services on New Jersey in a case where the defendant was a legitimate victim of fraud.
When or how are you most productive?
I’m productive in an environment that is open and collaborative.
Which industry professional do you admire most?
I admire my CEO Bill Wojdak for being intelligent, creative, and willing to listen. I also admire the outside counsel I have worked with over the years (David Kaminski, Manny Newburger and John Rossman) for educating me on FDCPA and FCRA matters.
What is one thing you do better than everyone else?
That’s a high bar. I’m a good listener and am very good at creating a safe environment where people are able to perform at their highest level.
What do you like most about this industry?
I like that this industry has a good combination of law and business.
What is one thing you wish you could change about this industry?
I wish that there was a less punitive way to protect debtors from abuses by collectors without punishing good faith actors.
If you weren’t in this industry, what would you be doing?
I’d either be practicing some other sort of law or be running a business. In a dream world I’d run an animal rescue.
Describe a typical work day.
My day starts between 7:00 and 8:00 a.m. I check my calendar to see if I have any deadlines or things that need to be done urgently. Then it is just working through my caseload be it working in-house to investigate an allegation, reaching out to opposing counsel to try and resolve a matter or working with outside counsel on a case that we are not handling internally. Usually there are a few meetings and phone calls splashed in there in hopes of always working towards improving both my own productivity and processes as well as that of the company.
What is your guilty pleasure?
Reality TV.
What is the best advice you have ever received?
From a legal perspective assume your audience is a smart person who doesn’t know anything about the subject or case you are handling.
What are you currently reading?
“The New Confessions of an Economic Hitman” by John Perkins
What is one fact you’d like everyone in the industry to know about you?
In addition to my work for Genesis I also run my own firm on the side where I specialize in litigation for unpaid rent in New Jersey.
