Debt Settlement Attorneys
2,525 verified debt settlement attorneys across the United States. Negotiating settlements with creditors outside of bankruptcy. Compare verified debt settlement attorneys nationwide by experience, peer ratings, and client reviews — get matched with counsel in any state, free for clients.
Seni Popat is a lawyer practicing bankruptcy, bankruptcy chapter 7, chapter 13 and 26 other areas of law. Seni received a B.A. degree from Hofstra Uni...
Attorney Joel R. Spivack has more than 30 years of experience representing clients in consumer bankruptcy cases and residential real estate transactio...
Alex McClure is a lawyer practicing bankruptcy & debt, consumer protection, debt settlement and 3 other areas of law. Alex has been licensed for 19 ye...
Mr. Easa Ronny Mousa is a lawyer practicing trusts and estates, adoption, advocacy and 23 other areas of law.
Cheryl S. Davis practices at The Law Offices of Cheryl S.
Rich Masana is the Managing Partner of Masana Bankruptcy Law. Rich, a native New Yorker who had moved to Colorado for law school, is a graduate of the...
Counselor Jorge Delgado has been practicing law since 2005, when he was licensed as an attorney in New York and New Jersey. He obtained his Juris Doct...
Mark S. Buckley is a lawyer practicing bankruptcy, bankruptcy chapter 7, consumer bankruptcy and 5 other areas of law.
Anne Penachio practices at Penachio Malara, LLP Read Full Bio
Derek Keith Prosser is a lawyer practicing bankruptcy, bankruptcy chapter 7, bankruptcy chapter 13 and 3 other areas of law. Derek received a B.B.A. d...
Louis Steven Haskell is a lawyer practicing automobile accidents, car accidents, personal injury and 57 other areas of law. Louis has been licensed fo...
Christopher Matthew Baker practices at Attorney Read Full Bio
Mr. Thomas Lee Avrutis is a lawyer practicing debt & lending agreements, litigation, business and 3 other areas of law.
W. Trent Steele was born in Staunton, Virginia, but has been a lifelong resident of South Florida.
Kenneth Harlan Dramer is a lawyer practicing debt settlement, credit repair, real estate and 5 other areas of law. Kenneth received a B.S. degree from...
Maurice Edward Graham is a lawyer practicing bankruptcy chapter 7, bankruptcy chapter 13, personal bankruptcy and debt solutions and 12 other areas of...
William Eugene Maddox, Jr. is a lawyer practicing bankruptcy law, business transactions, wills and 8 other areas of law. William received a B.A. degre...
Andrew Phan is a lawyer practicing bankruptcy, bankruptcy chapter 7, bankruptcy chapter 11 and 20 other areas of law. Andrew received a degree from Ca...
Derek Williams Loetzerich is a lawyer practicing business counsel, breach of contract, consumer protection and 11 other areas of law. Derek has been l...
Carl Joseph Asprinio is a lawyer practicing adoptions, airbag injury, assault and 63 other areas of law. Carl received a B.S. degree from University o...
Matthew R. Nahrgang is a lawyer practicing bankruptcy, bankruptcy chapter 7, bankruptcy chapter 13 and 9 other areas of law.
Roger Albert Isla is a lawyer practicing personal injury, accidents, animal attacks and 79 other areas of law. Roger received a B.S. degree from Franc...
Richard Paul Giarniero is a lawyer practicing entertainment law, business law, contracts and 19 other areas of law. Richard received a B.A. degree fro...
Attorney Gregory Messer has been practicing law in New York for 32 years. An extremely credentialed lawyer, Mr.
With 44 years of bankruptcy law experience, Michael Jay Berger, Attorney at Law, represents clients in bankruptcy proceedings throughout California. M...
Joshua Robert M Driskell is a lawyer practicing bankruptcy chapter 7, bankruptcy chapter 13, bankruptcy litigation and 59 other areas of law. Joshua r...
Nick L. Cacciatore, Jr. is a lawyer practicing family, criminal defense, child abuse and 3 other areas of law.
Joseph Daniel Kennett is a lawyer practicing business law, criminal law, contracts & agreements and 3 other areas of law. Joseph received a B.S. degre...
Mr. Matthew Mitchell Breen is a lawyer practicing automobile accidents, civil litigation, workers compensation and 28 other areas of law.
Joseph W. Lehn, Esq. is a lawyer practicing bankruptcy, elder law, bankruptcy chapter 13 and 40 other areas of law.
Mr. James Salvatore Giardina is a lawyer practicing advocacy, civil litigation, construction law and 11 other areas of law.
I am a debt relief lawyer. I fight to get consumers the justice they deserve.
John Charles Caraker is a lawyer practicing bankruptcy, bankruptcy chapter 7, consumer bankruptcy and 17 other areas of law. John received a B.S. degr...
A "lawyer's lawyer" is how others in the industry have described Mitchell A. Nathanson.
Mr. Chad T Van Horn, Esq. is a lawyer practicing bankruptcy, business, general practice and 21 other areas of law.
J. Peter Linder received his bachelor’s degree in music performance from Michigan State University in 2002 with high honors, and received his master o...
Ryan E. Farnsworth is a lawyer practicing bankruptcy, bankruptcy chapter 7, bankruptcy chapter 13 and 4 other areas of law.
Leeann Thornhill is a lawyer practicing bankruptcy chapter 7, bankruptcy chapter 13, bankruptcy reorganization and 8 other areas of law. Leeann receiv...
John Hart Bauer is a lawyer practicing chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization, bankruptcy chapter 11, chapter 7 bankruptcy-corporate liquidation and 4 o...
Mr. Mauricio Arcadier is a lawyer practicing affirmative action, age discrimination, aged and aging and 460 other areas of law.
Mr. Matthew Anderson Dunaway is a lawyer practicing foreclosures, bankruptcy, consumer bankruptcy and 10 other areas of law.
Christopher W Jones is a lawyer practicing bankruptcy, bankruptcy chapter 13, bankruptcy chapter 7 and 18 other areas of law. Christopher received a B...
Michael Thomas Brown is a lawyer practicing bankruptcy, bankruptcy chapter 13, bankruptcy chapter 7 and 18 other areas of law. Michael received a B.A....
Mr. Jonathan Alan Semach is a lawyer practicing bankruptcy, debtor and creditor, business and 4 other areas of law.
William R Orlow is a lawyer practicing bankruptcy, creditors rights, debtors rights and 7 other areas of law. William received a B.B.A. degree from Wa...
About Caryn L. Belobraidich View website Awards Gold Client Champion This award is granted to attorneys who have received at least 6 client reviews, a...
Ms. Diane L Drain is a lawyer practicing bankruptcy, consumer bankruptcy, bankruptcy chapter 7 and 6 other areas of law.
Mr. Brian Thomas Bain is a lawyer practicing real estate, civil litigation, estate planning and 19 other areas of law.
Sara E Razavi is a lawyer practicing bankruptcy, bankruptcy chapter 7, bankruptcy chapter 13 and 10 other areas of law. Sara has been licensed for 17 ...
Brant E Hodyno is a lawyer practicing bankruptcy, debt resolution, debt negotiation and 12 other areas of law. Brant received a B.A. degree from State...
Erin Lane practices at Washington Law Group, PLLC Read Full Bio
Robert James Mara is a lawyer practicing bankruptcy chapter 7, bankruptcy chapter 13, bankruptcy reorganization and 24 other areas of law. Robert rece...
Ms. Maureen O'Malley is a lawyer practicing bankruptcy, bankruptcy chapter 7, bankruptcy chapter 13 and 10 other areas of law.
Claudia J. Joseph is a lawyer practicing arbitration transactions, civil litigation, contracts and 23 other areas of law.
Peter Ordower has been practicing law since 1980, earning accolades as a Leading American Lawyer in commercial litigation for his exceptional legal sk...
Attorney Scott M. Hutchinson has counseled thousands of people regarding their Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcy options.
Mr. Gonzalez has legal experience representing clients with their consumer financial services litigation and other civil litigation issues.
Kenneth Potter is a lawyer practicing elder care, medicare and medicaid, asset protection and 133 other areas of law. Kenneth received a B.S. degree f...
Mary Madeline Roberts is a lawyer practicing venture capital, financial markets and services, copyright infringement and 31 other areas of law. Mary r...
Attorney Brian Monk has lived in the Central Florida area nearly his entire life. In 2000, he graduated from the University of Florida with a B.S. in ...
What is Debt Settlement?
Debt Settlement is the branch of law that governs the rights, obligations, and disputes that arise within its subject matter. In the United States, debt settlement sits at the intersection of statutes enacted by Congress, the regulations issued by federal agencies, the laws passed by all fifty state legislatures, and the body of judge-made decisions known as the common law. Because every state writes its own version of the rules, the way debt settlement works in one jurisdiction can look noticeably different from how it works in another, and that is one of the main reasons attorneys in this area focus their practice geographically — to stay fluent in the local statutes, court rules, and judicial preferences that shape outcomes.
At a practical level, Debt Settlement attorneys spend their time on three categories of work. The first is advice and prevention: counselling clients on how to structure transactions, draft documents, and conduct business so that legal risk is minimised before a dispute ever begins. The second is transactional execution: producing the contracts, filings, notices, and registrations that the law actually requires to make a decision legally binding. The third is contested representation: defending or pursuing a client's interests when a dispute escalates to negotiation, regulatory enforcement, arbitration, or litigation in court.
The clients who hire Debt Settlement lawyers range from individuals navigating a single life event to multinational corporations with complex regulatory exposure. What unifies them is the need for an experienced lawyer who knows the relevant code sections, has appeared in the relevant courts, and can translate the strategic options into language a client can act on. AttorneyQnA currently lists 2,525 verified debt settlement attorneys across the United States, each with a public profile showing their bar admissions, years in practice, and the kinds of matters they have handled — with the deepest concentration of practitioners in California.
When do you need a Debt Settlement attorney?
Most people contact a debt settlement lawyer for one of two reasons: something is about to happen that they want done correctly the first time, or something has gone wrong and they need it fixed before it gets worse. The earlier you involve counsel, the more options you usually have, and the lower the cost of getting to a resolution tends to be. The scenarios below are the ones we see most often on AttorneyQnA from prospective clients searching for debt settlement representation.
Once your signature is on a contract, settlement, lease, or release, your bargaining leverage drops sharply. A short pre-signature review by a debt settlement lawyer is the cheapest insurance you can buy.
Cease-and-desist letters, regulatory notices, and demand letters all start clocks. Missing the response window can convert a manageable problem into a default judgment or formal enforcement action.
Statutes of limitations, filing windows, and appeal periods are jurisdictional — courts cannot extend them as a favour. If you can identify a date that matters, you need a lawyer before that date arrives.
The moment opposing counsel appears, the conversation moves out of normal English and into procedural language. Continuing unrepresented usually means losing ground you cannot recover later.
Forming an entity, choosing a venue, structuring a deal, or selecting a remedy each has long-term consequences. A consultation at the planning stage is far cheaper than redoing it after the fact.
Multi-state matters bring conflict-of-laws questions that change which statutes apply and which court has authority. An attorney licensed in the right jurisdiction is not optional.
If any of the situations above describes where you are right now, the next step is a focused consultation. Use the Ask a Lawyer tool for short written questions, or browse the 2,525 debt settlement attorneys listed above to book a paid consultation directly.
How to choose a Debt Settlement attorney
The single biggest factor in choosing a debt settlement lawyer is fit with your specific matter. A lawyer with twenty years of debt settlement experience but no exposure to your particular sub-issue can easily be a worse choice than a five-year associate who has handled the same problem repeatedly. We recommend running every prospective lawyer through the same five-step checklist before signing an engagement letter.
- Bar admission in the correct jurisdiction. Confirm the lawyer is admitted in the state — and where relevant, the federal district — where your matter sits. The lawyer's profile on AttorneyQnA shows every bar admission on file, and the underlying state bar's "lawyer lookup" tool will confirm active standing in under a minute.
- Direct experience with your fact pattern. Ask plainly: "How many matters like mine have you handled in the last three years, and how did they resolve?" An honest answer reveals more than years-in-practice alone.
- A written fee agreement. Whether hourly, flat fee, contingent, or hybrid, the engagement letter should specify what is included, what triggers additional charges, and how disputes are handled. Avoid lawyers who resist writing the terms down.
- Communication cadence. Decide upfront how often you expect updates, who your day-to-day contact will be, and what response time is reasonable. The number-one complaint filed with state bar grievance committees is not malpractice — it is non-communication.
- Conflict check + reputation pulse. Make sure the lawyer has run a formal conflict check, then spend ten minutes reading independent reviews and any public disciplinary history. The state bar's website is authoritative for the second; the lawyer's AttorneyQnA profile collects the first.
Once you have a shortlist, schedule consultations with two or three. Lawyers vary widely in temperament, and the right strategic match for your case is sometimes the second or third lawyer you meet — not the first.
How much does a Debt Settlement lawyer cost?
Legal fees in the United States are not regulated by a uniform schedule, so what you pay a debt settlement lawyer depends on the billing model the lawyer offers, the complexity of your matter, and the local market. There are four billing structures used in this practice area; most engagements use one, but hybrid arrangements are increasingly common.
1. Hourly billing
The default model for most non-contingent matters. Rates for debt settlement attorneys in the U.S. typically range from $150–$250/hour in smaller markets to $400–$700/hour in major metropolitan areas, with senior partners at large firms commanding $900/hour and above. Hourly billing is fairest when the scope of work is genuinely unpredictable, but it creates an incentive structure that the client has to monitor.
2. Flat fee
Increasingly used for well-defined transactions — incorporations, will drafting, single-issue filings, uncontested matters. A flat fee tells you exactly what the deliverable will cost, and the lawyer absorbs the risk of unexpected complexity. Ask whether the flat fee includes filing fees, third-party costs, and any post-filing follow-up.
3. Contingency
Where it is permitted by the rules of professional conduct — most often in plaintiff-side debt settlement work involving monetary recovery — the lawyer is paid a percentage of the proceeds, typically 33% before suit is filed and 40% after. The client pays nothing if there is no recovery. Contingency fees align the lawyer's economics with yours, but the percentage compounds across time, so very strong cases sometimes do better on hourly billing.
4. Retainer / subscription
A monthly fee that buys a defined block of access or hours. This is common for businesses with ongoing debt settlement needs — contract review, employee questions, regulatory check-ins. A subscription smooths out spending and gives the lawyer a reason to know your operation in depth.
Whichever model you choose, ask for an itemised written estimate before the engagement begins, and ask explicitly what is not covered. Surprise expenses are the most common source of attorney-client friction.
Frequently asked questions about debt settlement
How quickly can a debt settlement lawyer review my matter?
Most lawyers can schedule an initial consultation within 1–3 business days. Urgent matters — pending deadlines, time-sensitive notices, court-ordered hearings — should be flagged in your first message; many lawyers reserve emergency consultation slots for that reason. If you need a written answer faster, the Ask a Lawyer tool typically returns answers in under 24 hours.
Do I need a debt settlement lawyer in my exact city, or anywhere in my state?
Bar admission is the controlling rule: any attorney licensed in your state can represent you in that state's courts and agencies, regardless of which city they're based in. Practical proximity still matters for in-person meetings, local court familiarity, and access to the local bench and bar. For state-level filings and remote-friendly matters, an attorney elsewhere in the same state often works fine.
Will an initial consultation cost me anything?
Many debt settlement attorneys offer a free 15- to 30-minute initial consultation; others charge a flat consultation fee that may be credited against the engagement if you hire them. The lawyer's profile lists the consultation policy. Free does not always mean better — a fee-based consultation is sometimes the sign of a lawyer who treats their time, and yours, seriously.
What documents should I bring to the first meeting?
Bring every contract, notice, letter, filing, or written communication connected to the matter; a written timeline of events with dates; the names and contact details of every other party involved; and any deadlines or hearing dates you are already aware of. Even an incomplete file is more useful than a verbal summary alone.
Can I change lawyers if I am not happy with mine?
Yes. Clients can discharge their lawyer at any time, for any reason, by written notice. Your case file belongs to you and must be transferred to your new counsel. Any unpaid fees through the date of discharge remain owed; any unearned advance must be refunded. If you are mid-litigation, the court typically must approve the substitution, but approval is routine.
How long does a typical debt settlement matter take?
It depends almost entirely on whether the matter is transactional or contested. A transactional matter — a contract, a filing, a single-step transaction — can resolve in days to weeks. A contested matter — anything involving disputed facts, court intervention, or regulatory action — typically takes months at minimum, and complex cases can run multiple years. Your lawyer should give you a realistic outside estimate at intake.
Are debt settlement lawyer fees tax-deductible?
It depends on the nature of the matter and current tax law. Fees connected to producing or collecting taxable income, managing investment property, or operating a business are often deductible; fees for personal matters generally are not. Because rules change, confirm deductibility with a tax professional for the year in which the fees are paid.
What is the difference between debt settlement and the related practice areas?
Debt Settlement overlaps with several adjacent areas — see the related-practice-area grid below for direct links. Choosing the right lawyer often means picking the one whose primary focus matches the heart of your problem, even if multiple labels could technically apply. When you are unsure, list your situation in your own words to two lawyers from neighbouring areas and ask which one of them is the better fit; honest lawyers will tell you.
Find debt settlement attorneys by state
Each state link below opens the debt settlement roster for that jurisdiction, with the local statute of limitations, court-system overview, and verified attorneys.
Debt Settlement Law Firms
Main Law Firm
Winter Park
Walton Law Firm
San Marcos
Bruner Law Firm
Fort Walton Beach
J&Y Law Firm
Los Angeles
West Law Firm
Charleston
John T. Floyd Law Firm
Houston
Debt Settlement by State
All states →Find debt settlement attorneys in every US state. Each state link opens a hub with verified attorneys, the state filing deadline, and a free attorney match.