MISLED ABOUT YOUR BANKRUPTCY CASE?

The process of working with an attorney to guide you through the bankruptcy process involves placing your trust and confidence in them.

Unfortunately, not all attorneys are equally skilled in navigating the bankruptcy process and bankruptcy laws. This reality has resulted in some cases not producing the outcome that the client expects and they end up feeling misled about their bankruptcy case.

After reading the above, you may be wondering “how can a licensed bankruptcy attorney not know the full depth of the bankruptcy process?”

Let’s explore below what a client should look for in an attorney so they do not feel misled about their bankruptcy case:

SIGNS OF AN INEXPERIENCED BANKRUPTCY ATTORNEY

• The initial consultation is short and detailed questions are not asked of the client regarding assets, liabilities, income, and expenses.
• They have more of a general practice and bankruptcy is a small percentage of the types of cases they handle. (A good analogy is that you wouldn’t go to your general practice doctor when you need heart surgery). With this being the case, why then trust your financial health and future to an attorney who does not specialize in bankruptcy law?
• The attorney gives the impression that your bankruptcy case is just about guaranteed to go smoothly and there will be no problems which arise.
• While they may have filed many simple cases, they do not have experience with bankruptcy litigation which can arise if things do not go as anticipated.
• The low attorney fee quoted is enticing and almost too good to be true.

With the above in mind, let’s explore below some of the traits a client can look for that validate a knowledgeable bankruptcy attorney:

TRAITS OF A KNOWLEDGEABLE BANKRUPTCY ATTORNEY

The initial consultation is generally a half hour to an hour and covers the essential topics that will be important to your bankruptcy case.

• The attorney asks for many documents to be provided either at the initial or the follow-up meeting, such as pay stubs, tax returns, recorded real estate documents, vehicle titles, bank statements, credit card statements, and bank statements. (The attorney usually has a prepared list which they will give you to let you know what documents will be needed).
• The attorney talks in detail about potential issues that could arise and how they will be addressed if they do.
• They have substantial experience with bankruptcy litigation.
• They quote a fee commensurate with the complexity of the case rather than the same low fee quoted for the majority of the cases.

WHAT TO DO NEXT?

Bankruptcies are tough and serious. Sometimes, your livelihood is on the line and you need the best bankruptcy attorney for your situation.

If you feel misled during the bankruptcy process and would like an experienced set of eyes to review your case, we encourage you to contact us today for a confidential review or call (248) 350-8220.