Bankruptcy Lawyer: What You Need To See

A bankruptcy lawyer is one of the few people likely to thrive when the economy isn't doing so well. Of course, you can't hold that against them. The point, though, is that they often take clients who are at the ends of their ropes. Desperate clients who just want a way out from underneath the debt that's crushing their dreams. This is a bad situation to be in, as it takes away objectivity. You may have a tendency to overlook the problems you would otherwise be alert to. If you're going to hire an attorney to handle your filing, here are some things you need to see before you do so.

Get Your Money's Worth
If you're thinking of hiring a bankruptcy lawyer, you probably don't have an endless amount of disposable income. In fact, you may be doubting whether its worth going further into debt to hire an attorney when you can't afford to keep up with your bills as it is. While hiring counsel can be a very wise decision, you need to at least make sure you're going to get your money's worth. Thankfully, most attorneys in this field will charge only a flat fee, so clients don't have to guess at how much they will be spending. For that fee, you should be entitled to financial analysis, petition preparation, his representation at a creditor's meeting, and other duties as applicable.

Expertise
Make sure you're hiring someone who is actually a bankruptcy lawyer and not just an attorney willing to take on any case. The biggest question you should be evaluating as you choose an attorney is not necessarily how long they've been practicing, but what they've been doing with their years of experience. If they've spent most of their career handling traffic cases, how is that going to help you file for Chapter 13? You need someone whose career is built on this kind of law. Someone who will know the ropes well and will be able to expedite your filing.

Current
One of the biggest reasons you need to hire a bankruptcy lawyer who is steeped in experience is because the law is changing all the time. The last major code changes came in 2005 and you can't afford to hire an attorney who is unaware of these changes or knows only a little about them. These changes were directed at habitual filers and others trying to game the system for their own profit and greed. But, as is always the case, they have made it harder for the average guy to file as well. You need an attorney who can cut through these rules and make sure you get the relief you deserve.