You’ve struggled for many months, faced huge obstacles, but eventually, your debt has come to get the better of you. This is a situation hundreds of thousands of Americans face each year as they file for bankruptcy.
Filing for bankruptcy is a serious step and one that needs to be taken with the utmost care. For that reason, you’ll likely want to hire a bankruptcy attorney to walk through the process with you.
If you’re already having trouble making ends meet, it might feel impossible to find a bankruptcy attorney that you can both afford and trust. However, there are ones out there. How can you find the right attorney for you?
Read on and we’ll walk you through everything you need to know.
Look For Passion and Experience
If you’re filing for bankruptcy, you’re likely in one of the darker chapters of your life. Things are going well, and you need help. The last thing you want to do at this time is to hire someone who’s not going to truly be there for you.
In the same way that you wouldn’t want a life-saving surgery to be done by an indifferent doctor, you don’t want the person representing your case to be uninvested.
One of the main things you should look out for when you sit down to talk to potential attorneys is the passion they seem to bring to their work. You can assume that this same passion will be applied to your case as well.
Get to know their background. What brought them into bankruptcy law and what has their experience been in working cases?
The more experience an attorney has, the better equipped they might be to handle your particular case. An experienced attorney likely has seen all kinds of different scenarios before and will know how to approach whatever obstacles arise during the submission of your case.
There’s nothing wrong with hiring a newer attorney, but it’s hard to beat the reassurance that hiring a seasoned vet can bring. If you can find someone who has both passion and years of experience under your belt, the should be at the top of your list as far as hiring goes.
They Are Clear in Their Communication
Bankruptcy is a complicated legal process. There are a lot of different potential legal options in front of you, and you might not be certain what path is right for you.
An attorney should be able to evaluate your case and see all of the available options. But even more importantly, they should be able to articulate those options to you in a way that you clearly understand.
You, as a client, shouldn’t be expected to have an encyclopedic knowledge of the law. Your attorney should be able to walk you through the reality of your situation in a clear, concise, and calming manner.
Good attorneys, like those from this law firm, will help you to understand the situation so that you can come to your own decisions. They won’t guide you from above, they’ll seek to make you a partner in your own future.
That might mean suggesting alternative paths forward. Filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy isn’t always the best move for everyone, and there may be other ideas that your attorney has for how best to handle your case.
An attorney who can weigh options, present them in a plain manner, and allow you to come to your own conclusions is the kind of person you want on your team.
Rely on Personal Referrals
If you’re like many Americans, you might trust the word of a friend or family member more than you do an advertisement on the radio. And why not? There’s nothing better than a personal recommendation.
The fact of the matter is that if you have a friend or loved one who had a good experience with a bankruptcy attorney, you’ll likely have a good experience too. This is especially true if your loved one had a similar financial situation to what you currently are experiencing.
It’s worth asking around or posting on social media to see if anyone has any recommendations for bankruptcy attorneys. Of course, you might not feel comfortable in advertising your personal financial situation in this way. You can always say it’s for a friend if you need to cover your tracks.
Check With Your Local Bar Association
If you’re really not sure where to start with your hunt for the perfect bankruptcy attorney, you might want to contact your local bar association.
Most bar associations have a built-in referral service. If you call in and give the details of your case, the bar might be able to recommend a local attorney who is suited for your situation. They’ll even be able to narrow it down by those attorneys whose rates fit your budget.
Not all bar associations will be as helpful as others, but it’s most certainly worth a call if you’re looking for a place to get started. You will be able to rest easy knowing the attorney’s you’ll get connected will have the approval of the bar.
Hiring A Trustworthy Bankruptcy Attorney
If you’re in a tough situation and need to file Chapter 7, you’ll want to hire a good bankruptcy attorney. The above tips can ensure you hire someone you can trust with your case. Filing is never an easy task, but it can be easier with a passionate and experienced attorney at your side.
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