Daniel E. Best

In his junior year of college, one of Dan’s favorite professors suggested that he pursue a career in the legal field. After giving it some thought, Dan broke the news to his mother, who in turn pulled out a kindergarten project confirming that he always had aspirations to become an attorney. He never imagined that he would spend the next 30 years defending the rights of creditors, but he continues to be challenged every day by the industry’s constantly changing regulatory environment. 

As a practitioner who focuses on consumer collections, Dan mainly interacts with collection managers, as well as presidents and CEOs of financial institutions. He believes his “get it done” attitude is what sets him apart from others in his field. He approaches everything with a sense of urgency and a concrete understanding that the ultimate goal is to collect money for his clients, in a way that upholds the reputation they worked so hard to achieve. 

Dan once represented a bank who was lending to consumers through a large local car dealership. His client began to notice that many of the vehicles (millions of dollars’ worth) were losing their collateral due to uninsured accidents, many shortly after purchase. Upon closer review, Dan discovered that many had a one week insurance policy - all issued through the same agent. Dan advised his client to proceed with a suit, claiming a breach of the warranty. Through discovery, he confirmed suspicions that the dealership was arranging short term policies, and the employees were earning commissions on the insurance premiums. Dan not only obtained a favorable $750,000 settlement for his client, but he also made sure to account for additional loan transactions – preventing any further financial liability.

Dan is extremely family oriented, and his four children keep him very busy outside of work. His love for cooking (especially baking) and his appetite for using the freshest ingredients have led him to take up his second hobby, gardening. He is also a fan of golfing and boating, among other outdoor activities.