Update: sent a demand letter myself instead of hiring a lawyer, and the guy paid in 9 days
Had a client stiff me on a $2,300 invoice for almost four months, so I finally sat down and wrote a demand letter myself using a template I found online. I sent it certified mail from here in Sacramento and figured nothing would happen, but he paid the full amount 9 days later without any pushback. What surprised me is that the letter just stated the facts, the amount owed, and a deadline, no threats or fancy legal talk at all. I know this won't work every time, but for smaller amounts it saved me a few hundred bucks in lawyer fees. Has anyone else gone this route, and did you ever have it blow up on you?