What Should I look for in a Bk Lawyer & Question I should the Lawyer?

[ulita]

This is Scary, & stessfull. Thank you

[tcreegan]

Hi ulita,

I compiled a list of the most common attorney-client complaints I have seen on the forum:

Communication: phone/email/face-to-face, secretary/paralegal/attorney, turnaround time on responses
Organizaton/work ethic: dot all i's, cross all t's or 'good enough,' document filed ASAP or 'before the deadline'
Competence: know the local trustees, judges, filed cases like yours, up-to-date on relevant court rulings
Retainer/Fee: exactly what is covered, what is extra, what to expect as 'extra'

Shop around until you find a "good fit" !

Tom in Colo

[feelingnutsy]

For what it's worth---will you have unfettered access to this lawyer via in-person/phone/e-mail?

[laurannm]

One thing I would look for is an attorney who will run through the means test with you during the inital consult (especially if you are above income). When we setup the appt with the attorney he gave us a list of all the paperwork, pay stubs, statements, etc. he wants us to bring. He then plugged our numbers in on the means test with us right there, it was a huge relief knowing which direction we were heading in right off the bat.

[HHM]

One thing I would look for is an attorney who will run through the means test with you during the inital consult (especially if you are above income). When we setup the appt with the attorney he gave us a list of all the paperwork, pay stubs, statements, etc. he wants us to bring. He then plugged our numbers in on the means test with us right there, it was a huge relief knowing which direction we were heading in right off the bat.

Just understand that it is rare for an attorney to do that. In fact, I would be skeptical of any attorney running a means test during a consultation because you NEVER have enough information at that point in time regardless of what you bring. So, you could be looking for a long time to find an attorney based on this factor.

Ultimately, you need to find one that feels like a good fit.

What Questions To Ask Before I Hire a Bankruptcy Attorney

How To Test Drive Your Bankruptcy Attorney Before You Hire.

Communication: you look for a system and predictability. Does the attorney simply say, if you call, I will call you back. Or, is it, if you call and I am not available, I will set an appointment to call you back (a specific time, and predictable). The reality is, most BK attorneys are highly disorganized and dysfunctional (from an organizational standpoint), that doesn't mean they aren't efficient, but many are very organizationally dysfunctional and ineffective. They proceed from one crisis to the next. They may think they are being "efficient", but often times it is efficiency for efficiency sake with no clear goal or objective to be "effective." For example, if you call with a question or concern, what is your goal...to get the question answered. An attorney that say, all calls are returned by 5:00pm (that sounds good and efficient) but when will the call actually be returned, 2:00pm, 4:00pm etc...does that time even work for YOU? It may be timely, but the majority of the time the call is simply returned, gather more info, with a promise to call you back after the attorney has had a chance to look at something (so, that fast turnaround, that "sounds" good, in reality, is just crisis management). Or, does the attorney make it predictable. An example, client calls in, staff gather as much information about why you are calling and then sets a specific call back time, just for you, that works for both you and the attorney. Granted, that call back may be the next day or two. But hey, you know EXACTLY when the call will take place and the staff have gathered info so the attorney can prepare for the call and answer your question.