The problem even the best bankruptcy lawyer can’t fix is the one you hide. Sometimes it’s a problem you don’t want to face yourself, or a debt your spouse doesn’t know about. Maybe it’s a claim you hope to bring after the bankruptcy. You’re tempted just to say nothing to your bankruptcy lawyer. Who will know? […]
When Bankruptcy Lawyers Get The Basics Wrong
I cringe when a client says that they’ve researched bankruptcy on the internet before making an appointment with me. For every sound, balanced, nuanced article on consumers and their debts, there are bunches of sloppy, inaccurate sites, often trying to make bankruptcy so frightening that you’ll buy whatever they’re selling. But when a group […]
Are You Stuck With The Lawyer Who Filed Your Bankruptcy Case?
Your bankruptcy case is filed. It’s not going as smoothly as you expected. In fact, you’re worried you’re going under. Can you change bankruptcy lawyers after your case is filed? Certainly, you can always fire your lawyer. It may be disruptive. It will certainly cost more money. To decide you need to know how big […]
3 Things Turn Off This Bankruptcy Lawyer
Looking to find a bankruptcy lawyer. Then you need to know what makes a good bankruptcy client. A good bankruptcy lawyer doesn’t waste time with some kinds of prospective clients. TThat’s because an experienced bankruptcy lawyer can see trouble from the start. So what would make a bankruptcy specialist turn down work? That is, other […]
Is A Free Bankruptcy Consultation Worth It?
No matter how much they’ve spent on other stuff, those shopping for a bankruptcy lawyer seem to expect a free consultation. “Everyone else offers a free consultation” I’m told. Not me: I don’t do “free”. But I’ve come to doubt what other bankruptcy attorneys offer is really a free consultation. Oh, it may be free, […]
Thankful
Professionally, what’s a bankruptcy lawyer thankful for? I’m thankful for experience and a skill set useful to real people with financial problems. I’m thankful for bankruptcy laws, flawed as they are, that allow people to escape debt and focus on the future. I’m thankful for the right to vote for people who might make the laws […]
Why Would Lawyer Choose Consumer Bankruptcy?
I had my fees cut last week in a small Chapter 13 case. The cut ($500) wasn’t large in absolute terms. But the wound is deep and will continue to bleed into my attitude about what I do as a professional. To borrow a phrase from my kids, I feel profoundly disrespected. The case, filed by […]
Why No-Look Bankruptcy Fees Are No-Good
Lawyers become lawyers, in large part, because they can’t, or don’t want to, do math. Judges are lawyers who got promoted. And therein is the root of the problem with “no look” attorneys fee for consumer bankruptcy cases. Judges don’t understand mathematics. They expect the “law” of averages to result in fair compensation for debtor’s lawyers, relieving judges […]
All Bankruptcy Advice Is Not Created Equal
Peter Mullison proposes in a recent article, that there are five types of people one should talk to about financial problems: Friends, Family Members, Spouses, Religious Counselors, and (thankfully) Bankruptcy Attorneys. If one is undecided about whether bankruptcy is appropriate in their situation, he suggests they should elicit the advice of the above parties. While I […]
California Bankruptcy Lawyer Puts Information Out There – Too Bad He’s Wrong On The Basics
I applaud attorneys who make sound information about bankruptcy available to the public. My only requirement is that their information be true. The truth is income taxes are dischargeable in bankruptcy if 3 reasonably simple conditions are met; debts to the government are generally dischargeable in bankruptcy. Please reread that line, and get that bit […]
