Avoid hiring an unethical or inexperienced bankruptcy attorney.

Bankruptcy is one of the most difficult times in an individual’s life. People often feel defeated after having gone through a major life changing event such as illness, job loss, or the death of a loved one. Their only choice is bankruptcy, but during this vulnerable time these individuals often make major mistakes in choosing an attorney to guide them back to financial stability.
Below are five major considerations when choosing a bankruptcy attorney:
1) Experience. In 2005 Congress passed major changes to America’s bankruptcy laws. Bankruptcy is now a highly specialized field and requires specialized knowledge on the part of the attorney to ensure the best results for you. While choosing a bankruptcy attorney one should focus less on the number of years that an attorney has been practicing and more on the percentage of their practice over the last few years that was focused on bankruptcy law.
2) Firm Size. Many of the larger bankruptcy firms in Metro Detroit tout their size as an asset to your case. However most large firms are set up as an assembly line. These firms have secretaries and paralegals performing the majority of the work on your case. Attorneys only review cases prior to client meetings and court hearings. This often means that details get missed, mistakes get made. In contrast most small firms are reliant on client referrals and word of mouth to gain business. This generally means that these firms are more focused on the client’s needs. Small firms usually have better client interaction and rely less on their support staff for complicated issues.
3) Teaching Ability. Attorneys spend years in school learning the law. They then begin their practice immersing themselves in the practical matters of court room procedures and “unwritten rules”. It is this knowledge that a clients seeks when they hire a bankruptcy attorney. For this reason clients have a right to expect that their attorney is able to break down the law in a way that allows them to understand exactly what they are getting into. Attorneys have no right to expect blind faith from their clients.
4) Hire a Law Firm, Not a Business. Every attorney has duel obligations to a law firm and a client. These duel obligations can cause a conflict if the firm is to heavily focused on the business aspect of the practice and not enough on the service end. Every law firm should focus on the clients first. It is true that a law firm is a business and as such needs to generate revenue. The problem comes into play when the firm begins to view its clients as assets that exist for the business’s profit. A law firm should never view its clients simply as an ATM machine.
5) Personal Comfort. An attorney client relationship is a complicated matter. The client hires the attorney but is not truly the attorney’s “boss”. The client must feel comfortable that the attorney is looking out for the client’s best interest or the client will not divulge all of the information that the attorney needs to put together the best case possible. You must feel comfortable with the attorney that you will be working with. Be sure which ever law firm you choose you are allowed to meet the attorney who will handle the majority of your case prior to hiring the firm.