Whether you are considering Chapter 7 or Chapter 13, or even the less common Chapter 11 or Chapter 12, you may be tempted to try to save fees by doing your bankruptcy filing yourself.
Nevertheless, in most instances having a bankruptcy lawyer handle your case will actually turn out to be the most practical solution.
Bankruptcy paperwork and court documents are complicated, and without a lawyer you may find your case thrown out due to simple errors.
And no amount of research you do on your own can substitute for a lawyer's familiarity with court regulations, or for a lawyer's expert understanding of the various bankruptcy choices that are available to you.
But acquiring the right lawyer to handle your case can take some work.
Begin with the fundamentals and find an lawyer who handles bankruptcy law as his major business.
One proven approach is to find a family member or acquaintance who has gone through bankruptcy and ask for a referral if they were pleased with their legal representation.
And nearby law schools and legal aid clinics could also serve as a source of referrals to respected bankruptcy attorneys close to you.
And bankruptcy courts might also be a good source of referrals.
These courts may possibly have a list of local lawyers who practice bankruptcy law.
These lists are not meant to be recommendations or endorsements, but they usually include the names and contact information of lawyers who're licensed to practice within the court's jurisdiction.
Most bankruptcy courts also have other informative publications and guides that can make it easier for you to better understand the bankruptcy process.
Obtaining the names of nearby bankruptcy attorneys is just the beginning, and the next step is to do some research to discover what kind of education and experience they've.
One of the items you need to look for is whether or not an attorney is certified by the American Board of Certification because only attorneys that have demonstrated their superior qualifications can obtain this designation.
And the National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys is another group that only accepts qualified bankruptcy specialists.
However, red flags to be aware of are any kind of misconduct, such as client complaints or any sort of disciplinary actions.
After you've identified some attorneys who specialize in bankruptcy and have training, practical experience and excellent recommendations, it's time to meet with them to decide whether or not they're right to handle your bankruptcy case.
In a lot of cases this initial meeting may perhaps be free of charge so that the attorney can learn about your case and determine if he would be able to represent you.
Ideally you would like to meet with 3-4 attorneys to ensure that you'll be able to judge not only how confident you feel about their experience, but also how comfortable you are about trusting them to represent you in bankruptcy court.
Hiring a bankruptcy lawyer is an important decision that may influence your financial well-being for years to come, so making certain that you have retained somebody who is genuinely competent and reliable generally is time well spent.
Nevertheless, in most instances having a bankruptcy lawyer handle your case will actually turn out to be the most practical solution.
Bankruptcy paperwork and court documents are complicated, and without a lawyer you may find your case thrown out due to simple errors.
And no amount of research you do on your own can substitute for a lawyer's familiarity with court regulations, or for a lawyer's expert understanding of the various bankruptcy choices that are available to you.
But acquiring the right lawyer to handle your case can take some work.
Begin with the fundamentals and find an lawyer who handles bankruptcy law as his major business.
One proven approach is to find a family member or acquaintance who has gone through bankruptcy and ask for a referral if they were pleased with their legal representation.
And nearby law schools and legal aid clinics could also serve as a source of referrals to respected bankruptcy attorneys close to you.
And bankruptcy courts might also be a good source of referrals.
These courts may possibly have a list of local lawyers who practice bankruptcy law.
These lists are not meant to be recommendations or endorsements, but they usually include the names and contact information of lawyers who're licensed to practice within the court's jurisdiction.
Most bankruptcy courts also have other informative publications and guides that can make it easier for you to better understand the bankruptcy process.
Obtaining the names of nearby bankruptcy attorneys is just the beginning, and the next step is to do some research to discover what kind of education and experience they've.
One of the items you need to look for is whether or not an attorney is certified by the American Board of Certification because only attorneys that have demonstrated their superior qualifications can obtain this designation.
And the National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys is another group that only accepts qualified bankruptcy specialists.
However, red flags to be aware of are any kind of misconduct, such as client complaints or any sort of disciplinary actions.
After you've identified some attorneys who specialize in bankruptcy and have training, practical experience and excellent recommendations, it's time to meet with them to decide whether or not they're right to handle your bankruptcy case.
In a lot of cases this initial meeting may perhaps be free of charge so that the attorney can learn about your case and determine if he would be able to represent you.
Ideally you would like to meet with 3-4 attorneys to ensure that you'll be able to judge not only how confident you feel about their experience, but also how comfortable you are about trusting them to represent you in bankruptcy court.
Hiring a bankruptcy lawyer is an important decision that may influence your financial well-being for years to come, so making certain that you have retained somebody who is genuinely competent and reliable generally is time well spent.
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