Depends on jurisdiction but some countries have a court claims system for small debts, which costs a few percentage of the amount being claimed. The claim is reviewed by the process and a court judgement passed. Really useful when you need it.

Yeah, of course, it depends. Lawyers don't necessarily "see the case through completion", however. Sometimes all that's needed is for the lawyer to write a letter and/or give some seasoned advice particular to the situation. In those scenarios it could end up costing several hundred dollars. Is that enough? Is it worth it? That's not at all clear but it may be worth a shot for someone in an intractable situation.