Hiring a Bankruptcy Law Firm: Things To Consider

It may be tempting to use your friend’s go-to lawyer to handle your upcoming Chapter 11 filing. He knows what he’s doing, right? How much skill could it possibly take? Well, a bankruptcy law firm exists for a reason. And it isn’t to take advantage of people who don’t know the difference. The fact of the matter is that there are a lot of nuances that go into a proper filing, and a typical lawyer may not have a good grasp on those nuances. If you want to hire one who does, here are some things to consider.

When hiring a bankruptcy law firm to handle your case, you may be tempted to look at experience as one of your main factors. There’s nothing inherently wrong with this, but it is a bit too broad. As stated, a lawyer can be in practice for many years without having much experience with the type of case you’re going through. What you want is an attorney who has a lot of experience in your specific situation. Now, every individual is different, but your attorney should have been around the block a few times and have all the answers you’re looking for when it comes to your problems and concerns.

A good phrase to keep in mind when looking for a bankruptcy law firm is “jack of all trades, but master of none.” This is exactly what you don’t want. If you come across a firm that advertises that they handle everything from Chapter 7 filings to traffic tickets to personal injury, you may want to look elsewhere. You don’t want to go to the Wal-Mart of attorneys, looking for the best deal. Find a specialist. They will have more experience in your area and they won’t be distracted by a dozen other cases in unrelated fields of the law.

As important as it is to find a bankruptcy law firm that has a lot of experience and knowledge, it is also imperative that you find one that is current on the newest laws. Financial laws of all types change rapidly and you need an attorney who is up to date on all the changes. Within the last five years, there have been notable changes to the Consumer Protection Act and it makes it a bit more difficult to file, even for those who have no intention of taking advantage of the system. In order to know where you stand with the new laws, you need an attorney familiar with the changes.