You can hire a lawyer to handle certain matters for you prior to the trial, but if there's a trial (or for certain hearings) you would have to appear in court yourself. To find out what a lawyer would charge to represent you, call some law firms in the county where the case is pending and ask.

Was service of the lawsuit the very first notice you received that your collections case had been transferred to a collection agency or law firm? If not, explain. Thanks.