Choosing a competent bankruptcy lawyer is essential to getting a fresh financial start. Most good bankruptcy lawyers do not charge for an initial meeting. During this first meeting, the lawyer should be able to assess your financial situation, understand your goals and outline the options that are available to you. You want to determine if you and the lawyer communicate well. Also, at the end of the meeting you want to have confidence that your case will be professionally handled with care and competence.
Here are seven ideas to help make your meeting productive.
Before the meeting, write down all of your questions so you will be sure to gather the information that is important to you.
Find out what percentage of the lawyer's practice is in personal bankruptcy. You want to hire a lawyer whose primary focus is bankruptcy.
Ask how long they have been practicing bankruptcy. Bankruptcy is complicated and you want someone with experience.
Pay attention to how your questions are answered. Do you understand? Is the lawyer willing to provide explanation and clarification?
Determine if there are any unique or troublesome issues in your case. If there are, ask about the possible consequences and any additional costs.
Review the pricing of the services. Most lawyers charge a flat fee for a bankruptcy but sometimes there can be additional costs.
Get the fee agreement in writing.
At the conclusion of the meeting, you should have a clear understanding of your options and have a good idea about how well you can work with the lawyer and his or her firm. If you have any concerns, it is OK to leave that first meeting without retaining the lawyer and to interview other lawyers.