I chose the wrong Lawyer, so I thought I would share some of the things that should have been warning signals, so someone else can avoid the same problems I am running into.
If anything about the first impression feels really wrong please run in another direction. ie: Not answering the phone 3 days in a row. or Files all over the place in random stacks.
If Information at the consultation does not sound right, move to another attorney: We were told Ch 7 would not let us keep the house (all payments current) He could not give a precise cost for services.
I paid the retainer out of desperation. Then no contact, no request for documents no questionnaire ever given
So I dropped off everything I thought he would need, still hoping for the best. I even gave cover sheets with fully calculated averages and several bk schedules completely filled out.
Still no contact after 2 more weeks! Being a dummy I thought maybe if I paid the rest of my fee things would move faster. I called and reminded him (finally answered the call) that I needed this done by a certain date. "No worries. we're working on it."
2 days later and the date looming closer I called again, and this time he said "No worries, we have until the end of the month." ARGGGHHHHH!!!!! We did not really have until the end of the month for budgetary reasons- totally screwed all prep plans we had!
We had to argue with him to get set up with the pre-counseling. He had a specific site to use but could not get organized enough to give it to us.
This crap continues right to the end. Forms wrong 3 times, still more corrections 12 house before filing. We gave the final corrections and signed anyway because it was the last chance. He then decided that it was time to recalculate all our income and expenses. He filed and the next day sent us the full copy. WITH WRONG INFORMATION!!!!
Contacting him with the concern about wrong numbers was unanswered for a week then a call to him got the usual "No worries, I am looking into it."
Finally, we hear back another week later, and it is just him sating "Let's worry about that if it becomes an issue at your 341 next week."
I should have walked right out of his office 30 seconds after I walked in 2 months ago. Wish me luck next week!
If anything about the first impression feels really wrong please run in another direction. ie: Not answering the phone 3 days in a row. or Files all over the place in random stacks.
If Information at the consultation does not sound right, move to another attorney: We were told Ch 7 would not let us keep the house (all payments current) He could not give a precise cost for services.
I paid the retainer out of desperation. Then no contact, no request for documents no questionnaire ever given
So I dropped off everything I thought he would need, still hoping for the best. I even gave cover sheets with fully calculated averages and several bk schedules completely filled out.
Still no contact after 2 more weeks! Being a dummy I thought maybe if I paid the rest of my fee things would move faster. I called and reminded him (finally answered the call) that I needed this done by a certain date. "No worries. we're working on it."
2 days later and the date looming closer I called again, and this time he said "No worries, we have until the end of the month." ARGGGHHHHH!!!!! We did not really have until the end of the month for budgetary reasons- totally screwed all prep plans we had!
We had to argue with him to get set up with the pre-counseling. He had a specific site to use but could not get organized enough to give it to us.
This crap continues right to the end. Forms wrong 3 times, still more corrections 12 house before filing. We gave the final corrections and signed anyway because it was the last chance. He then decided that it was time to recalculate all our income and expenses. He filed and the next day sent us the full copy. WITH WRONG INFORMATION!!!!
Contacting him with the concern about wrong numbers was unanswered for a week then a call to him got the usual "No worries, I am looking into it."
Finally, we hear back another week later, and it is just him sating "Let's worry about that if it becomes an issue at your 341 next week."
I should have walked right out of his office 30 seconds after I walked in 2 months ago. Wish me luck next week!
341 hearing Aug 12, 2010 
Trustee's report of no distribution Aug 20, 2010 
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