Is Jaffe & Asher legit -- and what do you do if they contact you?

Yes -- Jaffe & Asher LLP is a legitimate, established law firm headquartered in New York City (with a presence in other states), not a scam. It handles creditors'-rights and debt-collection litigation alongside commercial and general litigation, and its accounts range across consumer, higher-balance, and commercial or business matters. The single most important thing about a collection law firm is HOW it collects: it collects by filing lawsuits. So the number-one risk is a summons. If you're served, the worst mistake is to ignore it -- if you don't answer the summons in writing by your state's deadline, the court can enter a default judgment, which can lead to wage garnishment or a bank levy. Now the key fork: if the firm is contacting YOU about a CONSUMER debt -- a credit card or other unsecured personal account -- then a firm that regularly collects is still a "debt collector" under the FDCPA (an attorney is NOT exempt), so you keep every right: demand written validation, make it name the current owner of the account, and if a debt buyer is behind it, insist on the chain of title. If a lawsuit is filed, answer it and check the statute of limitations. But if this is a COMMERCIAL or business debt, that is a different track: a business or commercial balance is NOT a standard consumer settle-able debt, and consumer debt-settlement programs do not apply to it. Only a genuinely-owed, validated, unsecured CONSUMER balance is negotiable in writing -- and a forgiven consumer balance over $600 can trigger a 1099-C. One general New York caution: the state has a documented history of improper "sewer service" in debt cases generally, so always verify you were actually served and never assume a default is valid.

Seeing "Jaffe & Asher" on a letter -- or worse, on court papers -- is alarming because it's a law firm, and that usually means a lawsuit. Here's the calm version: Jaffe & Asher LLP is a real, established New York law firm, not a scam. What matters most is figuring out two things fast -- whether this is a consumer or a commercial debt, and, if you've been sued, answering the summons in writing before the deadline.

Short answer

Yes, Jaffe & Asher is legit -- an established New York law firm that handles creditors'-rights, commercial, and general litigation, including debt-collection matters. A law firm collects by suing, so if you're served, never ignore it -- answer the summons in writing by the deadline. First, figure out whether it's a consumer or a commercial debt, because they're handled very differently.

Who Jaffe & Asher is

Jaffe & Asher LLP is a law firm headquartered in New York City, with a presence in other states. Its practice spans creditors'-rights and debt-collection litigation, commercial litigation, and general litigation, and its accounts include consumer, higher-balance, and commercial or business matters. Because part of its work is collecting debts, it can act as a debt collector under the FDCPA -- and lawyers are not exempt from those rules when they regularly collect.

Because it's a law firm: the summons comes first

If you're served, never ignore it. Miss your state's deadline and the court can enter a default judgment, which can lead to wage garnishment or a bank levy.
Answer the summons in writing. A written answer preserves your defenses and forces the other side to actually prove its case.
If a debt buyer is behind it, demand the chain of title -- make whoever is suing prove it owns your specific account. Resold accounts often have thin paperwork.

Consumer debt vs. commercial debt: two different tracks

This is the fork that decides everything, because a meaningful part of this firm's work is commercial and higher-balance litigation.

If it's a CONSUMER debt -- a credit card or other unsecured personal account -- a firm that regularly collects is still a debt collector under the FDCPA. You keep every right: demand written validation, make it name the current creditor, and dispute anything inaccurate. If a lawsuit is filed, some consumers can move to compel arbitration. Check the statute of limitations -- a payment or written promise can restart the clock.
If it's a COMMERCIAL or BUSINESS debt, that's a different track. A business or commercial balance is not a standard consumer settle-able debt, and consumer debt-settlement programs do not apply to it. Some FDCPA protections written for personal, family, and household debts may not reach a business account at all.

A general New York service caution

New York has a documented history of improper "sewer service" in debt cases generally -- where court papers are never actually delivered but sworn to as served, producing default judgments people never knew about. This is a general New York caution, not a finding against Jaffe & Asher specifically. The takeaway: always verify you were properly served, and never assume a default judgment against you is valid. Also verify service the same way with any New York collection firm. Rules vary by state.

Is it a scam?

No -- Jaffe & Asher is a real, established law firm, not a fake front. But scammers do impersonate law firms to pressure quick payment, so verify before you pay: real court papers come through proper service, and a real firm will validate a consumer debt in writing on request. See also another New York collection law firm and another high-volume New York firm for the same playbook. Like any large collector, a busy firm can draw consumer complaints -- that alone doesn't make it illegitimate.

If it's a genuinely-owed consumer debt

Only a genuinely-owed, validated, unsecured consumer balance -- one that's yours, within the statute of limitations, and owned by whoever is collecting -- is negotiable in writing. If it qualifies, it can often be settled in writing, and settling can end a lawsuit. Get any agreement in writing before you pay. A forgiven consumer balance over $600 can trigger a 1099-C, so consider asking a tax professional. If the debt is unmanageable, bankruptcy may discharge qualifying balances -- a separate legal path with its own consequences. None of this applies to a commercial or business debt, which stays on its own track.

This page is general information, not legal or tax advice. Your rights and timelines vary by state, and consumer and commercial debts are treated differently; consider consulting a qualified attorney, a nonprofit credit counselor, or legal aid.