As with most things in life you tend to get what you pay for when you
decide to hire a bankruptcy attorney Whittier. The fees of a Whittier
bankruptcy lawyer, or indeed any type of lawyer Whittier, can vary by
quite a lot. The thing to do is to look around and try to find someone
who is good but is also affordable, depending on your budget. Also do
not forget to ask all the questions about hidden charges and extra fees
which may be incurred.
Fortunately, most bankruptcy lawyers use a relatively standard
agreement for a basic Chapter 7, liquidation, or Chapter 13, personal
reorganization. The flat fee should include consultation with the client
and analysis of the financial situation; preparation of the bankruptcy
petition; reviewing the petition with the client; attendance at the
meeting of creditors, known as a 341 meeting; and follow-ups with
creditors, such as taking action to halt any post-filing collection
efforts, if necessary.
In all likelihood, the flat fee won’t
cover eventualities like representing the debtor in an adversarial
proceeding, such as when a creditor challenges the filing, and so it’s
important to ask what the attorney is likely to charge for any possible
litigation that may arise out of the bankruptcy. While litigation occurs
in only a small number of cases, it’s a factor that all filers should
consider before hiring an attorney as the costs can be high and can
quickly spiral out of control.
Filing fees also vary, so it is
important to contact the court for the most up-to-date filing fees for
any particular chapter. It would be advisable to contact several
attorneys who practice in this area of the law to determine their fees
before proceeding. Experts advise people not to choose bankruptcy
lawyers based solely on price because courts often cap how much a lawyer
can make on a given case, and those who routinely handle such matters
tend to charge fees that cluster in the same general ballpark. Before
you decide on a particular Whittier bankruptcy attorney you need to
ensure certain things:
Highlights to discuss
Bankruptcy lawyer “musts”
Any type of attorney Whittier will be able to help you out with a any
legal matters that you need advice on but remember that a lawyer
Whittier or elsewhere will tend to specialize in a few areas for a good
reason. The law is such a vast subject that one person cannot possibly
be an expert in every area and so they choose. This is why a bankruptcy
lawyer Whittier will be your best chance at success and if they do their
job correctly they are worth the fees that you have to pay.