There are a growing number of complaints that have been made against debt settlement companies by dissatisfied consumers and investigative bodies alike. One of the most frequently made claims is that debt settlement companies often place themselves in the position of dispensing legal advice to their clients when they are not licensed to do so. Although some debt settlement companies are affiliated with law firms, most are not. For this reason, debt settlement companies cannot assist in the defense of their clients if a creditor decides to sue over an account in default. Indeed, anecdotal evidence indicates that many debt settlement companies will drop clients who are challenged in court by creditors. This is unfortunate, as a recent trend in collections has been the practice of creditors filing suit very soon after an account is defaulted upon. If you need assistance with a debt settlement lawsuit, skip the debt settlement company and seek out the services of a qualified debt reduction attorney.