Chicago Bankruptcy Lawyer
If you search for a Chicago bankruptcy lawyer, you are going to find a wide range of talent, fees, experience, demeanor and success. You will find everything from the entry-level attorney who is trying to help his first client all the way to the seasoned attorney who is closing in on retirement after helping thousands of clients. If you think that those two attorneys are equal, then you fail to realize a significant factor.
Experience Is key Factor
There is no substitute for experience. It doesn’t matter how well you did in law school. It doesn’t matter how many books you read on the topic. It doesn’t matter how many bar associations you are a member of. In the business of law and specifically bankruptcy law, you learn about the process by going through the process with your clients. I remember when I first started out as an attorney. There was a need for bankruptcy attorneys. It was kind of an underserved area of the law. After you file your case, there is a meeting of creditors whereby you and your client must appear in front of a bankruptcy trustee. I remember very vividly my first few times waiting for the meeting to be called. I would be in a room with other attorneys and other clients waiting for their cases to be called. This is the opportunity to prepare your client for the meeting. I was so inexperienced at the time that I was closely listening to other attorneys as they advised their clients on what was next to come. I was as prepared as I could be under the circumstances. However, you don’t know what you don’t know yet. It was only after years of experience and dealing with nearly 100 trustees that I finally felt I could give advice on the topic better than any other attorney in Chicago.
Price Should Not Be Sole Factor
I bring this to you today to raise a very important point. What an attorney charges to file a bankruptcy case, how much they require down, and what type of payment arrangement they will work with you should not be the only three factors when hiring a bankruptcy attorney. Those three factors all deal with price. Price should be a factor. It should never be the sole factor. You have to do your research. Don’t assume that a less expensive bankruptcy attorney is just as good as another attorney. Conversely, don’t assume that a higher price bankruptcy attorney is better than another attorney. You really have to look at the totality of the lawyer and the circumstances surrounding the case. For example, does the bankruptcy attorney handle a significant number of cases per month or per year? Does the attorney handle other areas of the law or does he seem to be concentrating in bankruptcy law? Has the particular lawyer written extensively on the subject and is he willing to share that information on his website, in books, in blogs, or during consultations? Is the bankruptcy attorney receptive to your questions and kind to you? You will find that for some reason many attorneys are just not pleasant. Many attorneys don’t seem overly concerned about the case. Many attorneys will treat you like a number and even issue you an internal office number as opposed to indexing you by your name. These are questions that need answers and you will not get the answer if you’re only shooting for the lowest priced Chicago bankruptcy attorney.
Comfort Level With Your Attorney
In my opinion, the right bankruptcy lawyer to handle your case is based on a number of different factors. Primarily, you want to hire a Chicago bankruptcy lawyer that has experience in the field, knowledge of the industry, reasonable fees and most importantly, you have to feel comfortable with that attorney. The attorney that you choose is going to be with you from the start of your case through the end of your case and even beyond. There are many instances where past clients contact me for bankruptcy related questions, credit report issues, home buying issues and a slew of other post-bankruptcy filing issues. You want to be able to pick up that phone, call that prior bankruptcy attorney and get your question answered. You may need another copy of your discharge order. You may find that a creditor on your bankruptcy case is still sending you notices. You may learn that your credit report is not properly reflecting the fact you filed for bankruptcy. You want to be able to contact your attorney readily and not worry about is he going to charge a fee for this phone call. You want to make sure that your particular need is going to get satisfied. If you have a good working relationship and if you feel comfortable with your bankruptcy attorney then you are not going to have a problem after your case is over dealing with that attorney.
Summary
In summary, don’t rely exclusively on price when determining which Chicago bankruptcy lawyer to hire. Look at the totality of your situation as well as the bankruptcy lawyer in general. Check out his website. Read plenty of what is written. Read some of the online reviews. And most importantly, meet with that attorney face-to-face to determine your level of comfort with him and his office. To schedule a free, initial consultation with myself, you can reach me directly at 847-520-8100. I have offices in Chicago Loop, Chicago South, Westchester, wheeling, Waukegan, Aurora, and Joliet.
