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In case you are seeking professional help in a bankruptcy case, you need to find an attorney that matches your demands. Companies like DebtStoppers can help you with it, but you have to decide on who you are looking for and what you need beforehand. Not every lawyer can help you, and bankruptcy attorneys are not general practitioners as well. To avoid extra expenditures, it is essential to find a specialist in bankruptcy law who understands the entire process.
Best Ways to Find the Right Specialist
To find the best of the best, you need to know where to look. There exist several common rules that are helpful for anyone. Check them out:
- Recommendations. Ask your close relatives and friends to help you search trustable attorney. You can even ask your lawyer to recommend you a professional. Read the comments on the personal pages of bankruptcy attorneys made by the clients.
- Group plans. Find out whether you are a member of a group legal plan at work. There might be low-cost or free-of-charge assistance offered by a professional attorney. If the plan covers bankruptcy, this can be your solution;
- County bar associations. Almost all bar associations have lists with lawyers that you might need. They can easily share them with you. However, you have to understand that you receive only names, without any reviews from satisfied clients;
- Online search. This is the best way to find a bankruptcy lawyer by yourself if you don’t have anyone on your mind. You will get the information about attorneys and their fees. You will be able to compare them. Besides, there are always multiple comments written by the clients;
- Legal Aid. Check out the local offices of Legal Aid. Some of them take cases of bankruptcy. Meanwhile, it is not a common practice for them, so you have to find out whether they provide such services or not;
- Law schools and legal clinics. Some law schools and legal clinics can help you to solve your problem. They may ask you for similar requirements of income as Legal Aid. You can receive free services based on the income you receive.
Questions to Ask Potential Bankruptcy Attorney
When you have found the candidate for your case, you have to make sure that this lawyer matches your demands. To ensure that the lawyer is competent, you need to ask several questions. Here are the basic of them:
- Ask the lawyer whether you are a candidate for bankruptcy. If the answer is positive, ask whether chapter 13 or 7 suits your case the most.
- Find out about the previous bankruptcy cases and their types.
- Ask about the company where the attorney works or the size of private practice. Big companies usually provide more sources, but small or solo attorneys can spare more time and provide their total attention to your case.
- When can you call and how much will that cost you?
- Ask about the paperwork and whether the attorney will accompany you to the court.
Choosing the One
Bankruptcy is a complicated matter. It needs a professional attorney with experience and satisfied clients. If you want to win the case, you need to do a lot of homework. A bankruptcy attorney will be the best assistant for you. Choose wisely, and don’t hesitate to ask for professional help.