How did you select your Attorney?

[MichiganMan]

I have been calling and talking with of course the receptionist, because you can not get the attorney unless you come in for a consultation. I have been asking the basics, like qty of bk, cost, time available.

Some are horrible to even talk with:

Call and say Ia m inquiring into BK and instantly they shoot back it will be $1450.00 and $50.00 for the consultation when can I schedule you to come in. Some seem annoyed you have a couple questions!

Any interviewing tips? Please and than you!

[StartingOver08]

Study here first, then interview attorneys!

Before you book an appt with the attorney, have all of your debt listed, catagorized and WRITE DOWN all of your questions. Take the means test on www.legalconsumer.com so you have a basis to formulate your questions.

I googled the attorney's in my area and stayed away from the BK Mills because I knew it was a disaster for my case. I also called my real estate attorney and got a reference from him (but ultimately chose another one).

It's a good idea to study this forum to prompt you to ask questions of your attorney. If you let them, the attorney just gives you his canned script - and that may or may not be helpful to you.

Good luck!

[HHM]

Well, no attorney (at least no quality attorney) will answer questions over the phone. You do need to make the effort and go meet with them.

Whatever you do, DO NOT make your decision based on price alone.

[2Bshinyandnew]

Well, no attorney (at least no quality attorney) will answer questions over the phone. You do need to make the effort and go meet with them.

Whatever you do, DO NOT make your decision based on price alone.

Agreed.

Also, more expensive doesn't always = better either! The most expensive lawyer I consulted gave me some pretty questionable advice. He didn't really give me "wrong" advice, he knew the law, what was questionable was advising me to file ASAP when I don't have a job, or health insurance. Although I'm not judgment proof, I am collection proof, so there is really no urgency for me to file, and if I get sick or get into an accident and I have already "used" my bankruptcy privilege, I could be stuck with some heavy medical bills. I felt like I was dealing with a car salesman!!! I had to say something like "sorry, I did not bring my checkbook", but I felt VERY pressured by this guy. He also had the fanciest office and the "nicest" address. He had a pretty impressive CV too.

The attorney I plan on using when I do file, isn't the most $$$, but isn't the least either. I just felt good that he was more concerned with how I would live after the bankruptcy, my long-term financial well being than getting me to give him a check.

[pcn]

I googled the attorney's in my area and stayed away from the BK Mills because I knew it was a disaster for my case.

So how do you tell the BK mills from the others?

[HHM]

So how do you tell the BK mills from the others?

They will usually be the firms that actually advertise a fee in their ad copy. So, if you see, $799 + filing fee in a Yellow Pages ad or on their websites, they are most like a mill (or at least a low quality firm).

Any quality attorney will only quote a fee after meeting with you and learning about your situation. The firms that actually advertise a fee (usually a "teaser" fee to get you in the door) will be a BK mill.

[freshstartfl]

I used a mill, I think, and it turned out okay. Heck, my lawyer has commercials on TV where she says, "Are youuuuu being harasssedddd by debt collectors? Can't sleeeppp? Can't eat? Call meeeeee!" (Southern drawl) Blah blah. I based my decision on price alone. I do NOT recommend this unless you're going to take an active role in your bankruptcy -- review your papers with a fine-toothed comb, sign up for Pacer, and go in there completely organized and with all of your paperwork and affairs in order, and stay on top of the lawyer every second.

[HHM]

I used a mill, I think, and it turned out okay. Heck, my lawyer has commercials on TV where she says, "Are youuuuu being harasssedddd by debt collectors? Can't sleeeppp? Can't eat? Call meeeeee!" (Southern drawl) Blah blah. I based my decision on price alone. I do NOT recommend this unless you're going to take an active role in your bankruptcy -- review your papers with a fine-toothed comb, sign up for Pacer, and go in there completely organized and with all of your paperwork and affairs in order, and stay on top of the lawyer every second.

True enough, there is nothing wrong with BK mills per se, they provide a service. In essence, they really operate more like a glorified paralegal doc prep service, but they service a part of the BK market. On average, just realize that the amount of "attorney time" spent looking at you case is about 30 minutes.

But to provide some perspective, how many people really buy the "cheapest" of anything because it is the cheapest. People don't buy based on need, they buy based on want. Prior to BK, I can guarantee that 99% of the people on this forum did not shop at the "discount super market" (i.e. where the FDA disclosure is in Spanish and is merely a copy of the Mexican Food Councils disclosure . Sure, you may shop at a Wal-Mart---but be honest, once in a while. Thus, with something as important as a BK, why would you even "want" to go with the cheapest.

But the flip side, attorneys that charge higher fees are not all created equal.
You need to distinguish between the attorney that charges a higher fee because he doesn't do that many cases so he needs to charge a higher to break even (probably 10 cases a month or less)...these attorneys will usually practice other, unrelated areas, of law like Family Law etc., and those firms that do actually specialize in BK and charge higher fees because they really do a better job. (That is not to say there are not quality attorneys practicing in multiple areas of law that are good a BK). Actually, if the attorneys that diversified were even half way decent business people, they would dump doing BK's, because they are financially a loser given the cost to market.

[syn]

When my dad went he was able to get free consultation with the three he met. You just know whether you will go with a lawyer or not by their attitude. Like the first lawyer he went and saw the lawyer had a "I don't care attitude" the second one was trying to push him to do chapter 7 and nothing else, also saying how he couldn't save his business and alot of other devastating news. The third lawyer was nicer and didn't rush him and also corrected all the misinformation the second lawyer gave him. So my dad is currently with #3.

[freshstartfl]

I will say this about my lawyer... she's overly cautious. She wanted copies of everything. She wanted me to get an appraisal on paper for my engagement ring and my watch. Unfortunately for her, she's also scatterbrained.... on my following appointment, I left my ring and watch in the car. She never brought them back up. Many times she'd ask me a question or tell me to bring something and I would say, I already told you, or I already gave you that. She'd quickly realize and say oh, yes yes, that's right.

Just... scatterbrained. lol. But for $1000 + filing fee, I picked her. To be honest I didn't realize how many things can potentially go wrong until after I'd retained her. Luckily none of those things has happened to me.

[Flowers]

I contacted the attorney who handled my divorce and got a referral.
I think I lucked out.

[freshstartfl]

Referrals are an excellent way to find a lawyer! That's how we found the lawyer my fiancee used in his custody situation. He won.

[gogetter76]

Hello,

Here is my story....

I called maybe 10 or so attorneys. Only 2 wouldn't quote me a price. Wanted me to come in. One would take payments, one wouldn't.

I chose the attorney who wanted me to come in for a consultation and charged for it. To me i looked at it as paying for a service and it meant something to me. This attorney also came through a referral, so....here we go.