4 Steps to Choosing the Best Bankruptcy Attorney for Your Case

A bankruptcy mill is a law firm that only does these all day everyday and they push them out like a manufacturing plant. They are often impersonal, and you don’t get access to your lawyer one-on-one. They try to push things through quickly to get your case settled with little regard for the best options for you. They don’t look too hard at your needs and long-term goals. Another thing to watch out for is the people who prepare the bankruptcy paperwork and offer legal advice, but aren’t actually lawyers. 

 

Another issue with these mills is that they are typically cheap. Dirt cheap legal help isn’t always very helpful. So, look at factors other than price when you choose a bankruptcy attorney. 

  1. Work with local ones

Local attorneys are better than ones in far off cities. They work closely with the local courts and other professionals in your area to ensure the process goes as smoothly as possible. They are also available for you to go in for appointments and they help you understand how the process will go, what expectations they have of you, and what the courts will require. You can check with the local courts to get more information about the lawyers you are interviewing. 

  1. Get a WRITTEN price quote

It’s easy to get caught up in conversation and forget to ask about the money. A good bankruptcy lawyer isn’t cheap, so you’ll need some cash in hand to pay for them. While you don’t necessarily want the cheapest one, it’s important to get one you can afford and that offers all the services you need. When you get the price quote in writing, make sure it outlines what service level you can expect from them including office hours, appointments, fees for showing up to court dates and more. You’ll want it all on paper so you can compare and so there are no surprises down the road when working with them. 

The fees for personal bankruptcy are different from the fees for a business bankruptcy proceeding. Business ones can be double or more the cost of a personal bankruptcy. This is partly because business debts and finances tend to be more complex to settle than personal ones. 

 

What can a bankruptcy attorney do for you?

A bankruptcy attorney can help you select the right type of bankruptcy for your case. It may be that you need a Chapter 13 when you were convinced you needed a Chapter 7. 

Benefits of hiring a bankruptcy attorney

  • You don’t have to worry about whether or not the paperwork was filed correctly.
  • You have someone to help you walk through a stressful process. 
  • You have someone to talk to the courts on your behalf. 
  • You leverage their experience to help you come out with as many of your assets as possible. 
  • They can negotiate to include only some debts in the bankruptcy instead of all of them.