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, […]
Free Bankruptcy Advice: 5 Reasons Why I’m Not Free
There’s no free bankruptcy advice in my office. Unlike many, we charge for that initial meeting with a lawyer. (There’s no free lunch either.) That makes us different from lots of other bankruptcy lawyers. Different enough to offend a prospective client who called up this week. He was unwilling to pay for a consultation, and stormed […]
File bankruptcy tomorrow?
Clients clearly have little sense of how long it takes to file bankruptcy. Proof is what happened Monday: there’s an email the morning’s inbox from a client whom I first met weeks ago. He tells me they want to file before Wednesday’s mediation in state court! I have no creditor information, representation agreement, money, or […]
Ordinary Heroes Deliver Second Chances With Bankruptcy
Guest author Bob Schuman on the good that bankruptcy does. I’m a mortgage broker. In that role, I see close up the immense relief that a homeowner feels when they file Chapter 13. They are no longer forced to deal with collection calls and a multitude of letters that are aggressive and intimidating, threatening to […]
Bankruptcy No Place For DIY
The do- it- yourself spirit seems especially strong in bankruptcy courts these days. Only it often comes with a big price tag. Nearly 45% of the Central District CA Chapter 7 cases were filed by individuals doing it themselves. The national rules committee drafted the new bankruptcy forms with the unrepresented in mind. Why do people […]
When Bankruptcy Lawyers Get The Basics Wrong
I cringe when a client says that they’ve researched bankruptcy on the internet before coming to see 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 of bankruptcy […]
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 […]
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 […]
