Qualities to look for when hiring a bankruptcy lawyer
by Abdul Aziz Mondal Banking Published on: 11 July 2018 Last Updated on: 19 October 2024
If you have decided to file for bankruptcy, you will have to contact a bankruptcy lawyer to help you with the same. It might get awkward to ask friends for a recommendation and with the number of lawyers across the country, you might yet confused. When making a decision to hire a bankruptcy lawyer, you need to look beyond the professional knowledge and experience. You need to look for qualities that will help you in troubled times. A lawyer who looks excellent on the paper might not be as good in person. A lawyer with multiple certifications might not have adequate experience. Hence, you need to look for specific qualities that will help you in bankruptcy.
Do they offer alternate solutions?
The best way to deal with your financial problems is not a complete elimination of the eligible debts. If there are alternative options, a lawyer should present them to you. A professional and expert lawyer will weigh all the options before offering you a solution. If the client is asking too much money or has a lot of assets, you need to think of alternative resolutions. They could also ask you to do nothing, which is possible if you have no assets to lose. Another alternative could be to create a formal debt management plan. If the majority of the lenders are credit card companies, it is best to create a debt management plan with a reduced interest rate. This will lead to lower payments and make it possible to deal with the debt. Bankruptcy attorneys in Fort Worth provide complete recommendations which include all the possible options. You need to look through all the alternatives in order to ensure that you are making the right decision. It will help reduce the possibility that you might regret the decision to file for bankruptcy.
1. Do they display passion?
One of the most important quality to look for in an attorney is the passion for progress. You would not want an indifferent attorney to represent you in case of bankruptcy. You need to choose a lawyer that is a genuine individual and is passionate about your progress. He should listen carefully to your concerns and also look at all the options available for you with regard to the repayment of the debt. A lot of committed lawyers find their work rewarding and are passionate towards the same, they need to be in love with the profession and should be committed to helping people deal with debt. The attorney will affect your life in an indirect manner and you would not want a less passionate individual working for you.
2. Do they hear you?
The attorney should be a good listener. He should not do all the talking and decision making. It is a painful decision to declare bankruptcy and the attorney should not only have proper credentials but should also show the desire to understand your goals and to help you progress towards the same. He should possess empathy and a willingness to listen to you and ask you questions. He should be able to address your biggest worries and you need to be comfortable talking to them. You will be sharing most of your personal financial information and you need to be able to trust the lawyer. If the lawyer does not make you feel comfortable, it is a time to cross him off the list. Find someone who is genuinely interested in helping you and treats you with the utmost respect.
3. How much does he charge?
Attorneys that help you get out of your debt do not work for free. They charge a fee for the same and it varies by the location and the complexity. You do not want a lawyer that charges super low rates as they might crank out the case. Also, somebody with a super high fees does not guarantee success. You need to pay the fees that are commensurate with the services offered by the lawyer. Fees are based on the market and may vary from one attorney to the other. There are caps set by the court hence ensure that you are not overpaying the lawyer. In the first meeting with the attorney, you need to ask about the fees and the services covered.
Once you find the person that has the right knowledge, experience, cost, and character, you are all set to move forward. You need to trust the right lawyer and provide him with complete information about the finances in order to move forward with filing.
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