NORFOLK, VA, Jun 30, 2010 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) --

Portfolio Recovery Associates, Inc., (NASDAQ: PRAA) a company that purchases and manages portfolios of defaulted consumer receivables and provides a broad range of receivables management and payments processing services, today announced the appointment of several new attorneys in its Office of General Counsel.

"I am very pleased to welcome our new attorneys to Portfolio Recovery Associates (PRA)," said Judy Scott, PRA's executive vice president and general counsel. "Their legal strengths span several specialty areas, providing a depth of knowledge to support our growing business and build on the tremendous existing talent in the Office of General Counsel."

Trey Huelsberg joined the Office of General Counsel as corporate counsel. He serves as counsel to the Strategy and Development Department and assists in financial transactions, business acquisitions and public disclosures. Before starting at PRA, Huelsberg was a partner at Willcox & Savage in Norfolk. Huelsberg's honors include Best Lawyers in America (2009), Legal Elite (Virginia Business) and Super Lawyers. He received his bachelor's degree in Commerce/Finance and his law degree from University of Virginia in Charlottesville.

Beaufort "Shawn" Martin joined the Office of General Counsel as associate counsel, Finance and Risk Management. He serves as the focal point for all of the company's legal risk management activities and develops and monitors compliance with applicable legal requirements concerning corporate compliance, fraud, ethics, risk management, and corporate records retention and destruction. Martin, who is also a Certified Public Accountant, earned a bachelor's degree in Accounting from Lynchburg College in Lynchburg, Va., a master's degree of Accountancy from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Blacksburg, and his law degree from The Marshall-Wythe School of Law at the College of William and Mary.

Both Huelsberg and Martin report to Judy Scott.

Franci Ware joined the Office of General Counsel as compliance counsel. Ware has nearly ten years of legal experience, most recently as vice president, Legal and Compliance at NCO Financial Systems, where she had been for the past five years. She earned a bachelor's degree from Wofford College in Spartanburg, S.C., and her law degree from Cumberland School of Law, Samford University in Birmingham, Ala.

Kevin Duffan joined the Office of General Counsel as associate counsel, Litigation. He provides legal assistance in the management of PRA's defensive litigation. Prior to joining PRA, Duffan was employed at the Office of the Commonwealth's Attorney in Virginia Beach as a senior assistant commonwealth attorney. He earned a bachelor's degree in Political Science at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, and his law degree from the Marshall-Wythe School of Law at the College of William & Mary.

Both Ware and Duffan report to Chris Lagow, senior counsel of PRA.

Brian Pearson joined the Office of General Counsel as associate counsel, Disputes. He serves as an ombudsman and liaison to law firms, state attorneys general and regulatory offices, Better Business Bureaus and collections industry associations on behalf of PRA. He reports to Franci Ware, compliance counsel and Chris Lagow, senior counsel. Before joining PRA, Pearson worked as an attorney in Phoenix, Ariz. He earned his bachelor's degree in Mass Communications and Behavioral Sciences Research at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, Ariz., and his law degree at Arizona State University in Tempe, Ariz.

About Portfolio Recovery Associates, Inc. Portfolio Recovery Associates, Inc. ("PRA") is the parent of companies whose business revolves around the detection, collection, and processing of both unpaid and normal-course receivables originally owed to credit grantors, governments, retailers and others. PRA's primary business is the purchase, collection and management of portfolios of defaulted consumer receivables. These are the unpaid obligations of individuals to credit originators, which include banks, credit unions, consumer and auto finance companies, and retail merchants. Subsidiaries of PRA also provide fee-based services, including collateral-location services for credit originators via its IGS subsidiary, revenue administration, audit and debt discovery/recovery services for government entities through both its RDS and MuniServices businesses and class action claims recovery services and related payment processing through its CCB subsidiary.

Media Contact:
Tanya M. Madison
Vice President, Corporate Communications
757-961-3525
tmmadison@portfoliorecovery.com

SOURCE: Portfolio Recovery Associates, Inc.

mailto:tmmadison@portfoliorecovery.com