How to pick a good Ch.7 Lawyer ? I was told pick a lawyer who only do Bankruptcy

That should not be the sole criteria. Lots of solo practitioner does bankruptcy including many other practice areas which gives them a broader outlook. For instance, if you already have a pending personal injury case, they may advise you or to protect your legally protectable case. In case, you do not mention it, you lose your right to sue. This is just an example. However, find few good attorneys and where fee alone should not be your criteria. Any bankruptcy attorney can do a simple bankruptcy job but it is complex when there are few other issues invovled like fighting motion to stay, exemptions, and income calculations when you have a tough mean test issue.

Look for the reviews and attorney endorsements here on the site using the "Find a Lawyer" search feature. Good bankruptcy attorneys will have comments posted by satisfied former clients and will be recognized by their peers. Hope this perspective helps!

You should look for a person that not only does bankruptcy but other important areas as well. Tunnel vision is not always best. You can search for an attorney on and can also check out Redemption 722 which maintains a list as to the amount of filings handled by the attorney you have chosen or are thinking about choosing.

I myself would not employ an attorney who practices divorces and does 5 a year...I would want one doing them full time. I would not want a surgeon to operate on me who does those only 1/3 of the time, but want someone doing them all the time. Etc.. That is my view. I may be in the minority but it is true that it is the quality of the attorney that matters. It is just when you only practice that one area of law, you are studying it, you are reading the Bankruptcy Reporters like I do of every case that comes out as far as the headnotes to keep up on the law, you go the seminars on the subject. Etc. That way you are doing the best you can do..but I still learn reading other attorneys answers here on ! and am glad I do! Thus, my opinion is find someone who has practiced them for years..it is the various types of all the cases that affect our knowledge and experience so having been through it we have seen "it all" as they say! I personally think you should be able to find a lower priced attorney that will work easily so call around. The cheapest is not always the best..but in any bankruptcy you mainly care about 2 things: can you keep all your asssets and can you discharge all your debts. But other answers to questions we ask you can affect our advice. Most attorneys do NOT charge to discuss with you the first meeting. So meet with that $2000 attorney and then the $1000 attorney and if you feel good on the $1000 one after discussing with both, save your self some money. But if not, go with the one you feel good about. 1/2 of my practice is from client referrals..so I like a client who is happy..and you want to be happy no matter who you go with to! Good luck.

You need someone with experience in bankruptcy and a good track record. Check revised on and elsewhere. But the person has to understand your situation, and be willing to spend the time you need to understand your options. The price quoted is about right. But price should not be your primary criterion. Better to pay a bit more and have the person on your side who will take the time to do the job right.

Hiring an experienced bankruptcy attorney is the most important decision that you will make. Because of the high volume of bankruptcy cases in the last six years, many attorneys, experienced and inexperienced, have started doing bankruptcies. There are attorneys advertising to do your case for as little as $500, and there are attorneys who promise to file your case fast. If you've never hired an attorney before (and most of us have not), you may not realize that fast and cheap are not necessarily qualities that you will need in your attorney. To your bankruptcy attorney you will tell intimate details of your life, and from your bankruptcy attorney you must receive guidance through a mine field of technical requirements of the law. The attorney-client relationship is based upon trust. You must be convinced that your attorney is sufficiently experienced to guide you in one of the most important and difficult decisions in your life. Because of the nature of bankruptcy law and practice, it is important that your attorney be a practicing bankruptcy lawyer who has done this before. Here are some guidelines for the selection of a competent bankruptcy attorney: • Hire a bankruptcy specialist. The most experienced bankruptcy attorneys are specialists. An experienced Colorado bankruptcy attorney devotes at least half his time to bankruptcy and has been practicing bankruptcy law for at least three years or is associated with a firm that devotes a significant part of its practice to bankruptcy. • Get a referral. The best attorneys in any field of law are known by their fellow attorneys. To find an experienced Colorado bankruptcy attorney, ask another attorney for a referral to a bankruptcy specialist. If you don't know an attorney, ask a friend who knows an attorney who can make a referral. Or if you have friends who have filed bankruptcy, ask them who their attorneys were. Would they go to the same attorney again? • Make appointments to consult with at least three bankruptcy attorneys. Most consumer bankruptcy attorneys will provide a free or low cost first appointment. You should experience the following from a first visit to a bankruptcy attorney: • First, did you meet with an attorney? If not, don't bother going back. • Second, did you understand what the attorney said? Did the attorney answer your questions in clear, understandable language? The bankruptcy process is complicated, but it can be explained. You need an attorney who can explain it to you so that you understand. • Last, do you feel like that attorney regards you as a person, or as just another case? You must feel comfortable with the attorney who will take you through the bankruptcy process. Then, of course, you must be able to pay the attorney's fee. Shop around. If you find more than one attorney who meets the standards discussed above, hire the one you can afford.

Referrals, testimonials, experience, smarts and likability are good factors; assuming candidates' material criteria match, you'd probably err on the side of selecting the best-looking attorney (it can't hurt). Pricing is a function of local standards.

The price is within the range to hire a good bankruptcy lawyer who is not in a high volume practice. Not that there's anything with with using a high volume bankruptcy firm. There are lawyers who dabble in bankruptcy and those who specialize in bankruptcy. You want someone who specializes in bankruptcy. Most bankruptcy lawyers will accept a partial payment to start working up the case within the office, and then you can pay the balance when the case is ready to be filed. Most bankruptcy lawyers also offer a free consultation. Take advantage of that and go meet a few lawyers face-to-face and pick the one you're most comfortable with.