Chicago Bankruptcy Attorney
Q.I am in urgent situation. I'm in need of a lawyer, as soon as possible. Can anyone give me advice on how to select a good personal bankruptcy lawyer? What questions to ask, etc. Or have you got any experience for me???
A.Don't go to a bankruptcy mill, where some joker who couldn't hack it in a real law practice bought some software, placed an ad, and cranks out hundreds of petitions without ever interviewing and counseling his or her clients. I've seen more people abused by such lawyers; it's really sad. First, if you have any friends who are lawyers, ask them who they would see if they had to file bankruptcy. Then, check in the 1995 Martindale Hubbell law directory in a local law or public library for listings of the named lawyers in your particular geographical location or locations. See how the resumes of the lawyers named by your friends stack up with other attorneys who list bankruptcy or debtor/creditor law as a specialty. If favorably, you may have some good leads. You should also check with your local or state bar association to identify who is an officer of the association's consumer bankruptcy section. Those attorneys are typically very competent. Ask for a flat fee quote if possible, or at least a cap for what fees will be assuming an uncontested bankruptcy. Fees can vary from city to city and state to state, but you might see if your state bar association has an economic survey you could review to see what the typical charge is for a straight chapter 7 bankruptcy filing. Also, make sure that the attorney you select has recently filed multiple bankruptcy petitions for debtors. There were numerous changes in federal bankruptcy laws in 1994, and you'll want someone who is up on the current state of the law, of course. Another useful measuring stick by which more and more people are judging lawyers is whether the lawyer is board certified as a bankruptcy specialist. Some states have these designations, and others to do not. I believe the Commercial Law League of America (CLLA, Chicago) and the American Bankruptcy Institute (ABI, Washington, DC) also certify specialists. Lists of these specialists can probably be obtained at your local law or public library. Or, you can probably get info from the above organizations directly by phone.
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