Bankruptcy Attorney Selection Criteria
Going bankrupt can be a nightmarish experience if you try to do it alone, but if you have a bad bankruptcy attorney, it can be even worse. Though most people assume any type of legal counsel is better than none, this is not always the case. Consider some tips to avoid attorneys that just make your case worse than it has to be.
Waiting until the last minute is never a good idea. It might not be fun selecting a lawyer, but it is even less fun to be pestered constantly by creditors calling your house everyday to collect. The sooner you find a good professional, the sooner you can start and end the process.
You should also make sure to find a specialist. You might have a great personal or family lawyer, but they might not know what to do when faced with this type of issue. Even if they know the general steps, you are better off with one who has dealt with this matter in-depth. You can, however, ask your current personal lawyer for recommendations of a specialist.
Attending a free or discounted consultation can help you decide if you really want to go with your prospective bankruptcy attorney. Once you are there, ask questions pertaining to their history. For example, ask how many bankruptcies their firm has handled, whether they were consumer or business types, and how often you could meet with your legal representative. If you do not receive straight answers to these questions, you should look elsewhere.
One rule of thumb is not to hire a lawyer based on their fees. Some very cheap lawyers are also very inexperienced, while others have more achievements and successful cases than the average lawyer. On the other hand, some attorneys are expensive and charge a lot because they get great results, while others have a dismal record and simply did no research before creating their prices. Overall, in most cases, pricing is not something you should base your decision on, though if you have a list of attorneys who are otherwise equal; it is acceptable to choose the cheapest of the bunch.
Finding a bankruptcy attorney might not be a fun task, but it is a promising step in the right direction. As long as you put some thought into it, you should be happy with your selection. A great legal representative can give you peace of mind and great results.
