5 Steps to Choosing a Bankruptcy Lawyer

Having a large amount of debt can quickly begin to take it’s toll on a person, making their life stressful and irritating. Thankfully, bankruptcy exists as a way to offer these individuals a fresh financial start. There are a variety of chapters and plans for individuals and companies under different circumstances. In order utilize these laws, those going through the bankruptcy process must obtain the service of an attorney who is knowledgeable and experience in the bankruptcy field. In this article, we will offer up a few tips to help you find your bankruptcy lawyer.

Step 1 – Obtain the name and contract information of an experienced bankruptcy lawyer. The information can be from a friend or family member, another attorney, or a quick look through the yellow pages. Look for practices who specialize specifically in debt relief and write out practice information for use later on.

Step 2 – Hop online and check out a few user-submitted review and rating sites. These sites are designed to help individuals find quality services by way of reading through testimonials from past clients. Check up on the attorneys that have been recommended to you while keeping an open mind to those who you may not have been introduced to yet.

Step 3 – Get in touch with one of the attorneys on your list and schedule yourself an initial consultation. Most legal practices will offer this initial meeting free of charge as a way to sell prospective clients on their services. Use this opportunity to get to know the attorney face to face, bringing along a list of questions and discussion topics. Write down the answers provided along with any notes / points of interest. Possible questions include: What is your experience level? Is your practice based solely in debt relief, or do you engage in other case areas? Will the head bankruptcy lawyer be overseeing my case, or will it be taken over by an associate? Are there any other options that are worth looking into? Are there any available payment options?

Step 4 – Continue this process with 2 – 3 other attorneys on your list. It’s a good idea to check out your options and gain a bit of perspective in order to make an informed decision. If you are not completely confident in the abilities of the attorney you’ve just interviewed with, cross them off the list and move on towards the next one.

Step 5 – After you’ve met with a few attorneys, you should have a fairly good idea of which one is right for you. A quality attorney should be one who makes you feel comfortable and confident in their abilities. They should not push you in one way or another and should be respectful and compassionate regarding your circumstance. Choose the lawyer whom you feel is most invested in helping you through the process and is able to provide your case with the personalized attention it deserves. Though it may take a couple tries to find your ideal match, you’ll be happy you took the extra time once the process is complete.