Most people looking for an Aurora bankruptcy attorney base their decision on price, an advertisement, or simply no criteria at all. This can be a huge mistake because choosing the right attorney to handle a bankruptcy case can mean the difference between a discharge and long-term financial problems. If you’re considering filing for bankruptcy, there are certain factors to consider when interviewing potential bankruptcy lawyers.
Bankruptcy expert
Technically, any licensed attorney can handle your bankruptcy claim. However, you should really only work with a lawyer who specializes in handling personal bankruptcy claims. Not only should you consider the length of a potential attorney’s career, but you should also ask what percentage of the lawyer’s practice constitutes bankruptcy claims. For example, you should be cautious if the lawyer advertises expertise in a number of legal areas.
Recent code changes
Congress enacted the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act in 2005. Designed to preserve the integrity of the system, this legislation brought about widespread reform in the bankruptcy industry. One of the biggest changes was creating a minimum income threshold to file, which makes it harder for some debtors to file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. In some cases, those unable to meet this threshold have to repay their debt obligations through reorganization bankruptcy instead of liquidation Chapter 7 bankruptcy.
Comfortable relationship
This may seem intuitive, but you need to work with an Aurora bankruptcy attorney who makes you feel comfortable. Even if your attorney is well qualified and competitive on price, it can cause problems if you don’t have a good attorney client relationship. Filing for bankruptcy is an emotional process, as you will be discussing very personal financial matters. You can narrow down your attorney search by researching potential attorneys ahead of time and asking for referrals.
The bankruptcy attorneys of Cutler & Associates, Ltd. are dedicated to helping Chicago families find relief from overwhelming debt obligations, Since 1990, our firm has helped people rebuild their lives after the stress and damage of severe debt.