What to Look for In a Qualified Bankruptcy Attorney

Hiring the right bankruptcy attorney to handle your case can make a dramatic impact on your ability to repair your financial situation and build a more secure financial future. For this reason, you need to find an attorney who has extensive experience handling cases like yours and who will have your best interests at heart. It’s not always easy to assess a potential attorney’s ability to represent your financial interests, so here are some questions that can help you be confident in your choice of attorney.

Does your attorney specialize in bankruptcy cases?

Any attorney admitted to the state bar is legally permitted to handle a bankruptcy case, but this doesn’t mean that a potential attorney regularly handles cases like yours. You can get a better sense of your attorney’s qualifications by asking about the other cases he or she has handled or by visiting the law firm’s website and reading reviews from previous clients.

Is your attorney up to date on 2005 bankruptcy code changes?

In 2005, Congress created a piece of legislation called the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act, which had serious implications for how bankruptcy cases can be handled. The changes in this code can make it more difficult for you to meet the minimum threshold for income outlined in a Chapter 7 bankruptcy petition. For this reason, you need to make sure that your attorney has experience dealing with these changes and understands how they apply to your case.

Do you feel comfortable with your attorney?

You’re going to be spending a considerable amount of time discussing personal financial matters with your attorney, so you need to make sure that you feel comfortable in the interactions you have with him or her. Filing for bankruptcy is an emotional matter, so trust your instincts when it comes to assessing your comfort level.