Chris Raymond Washington Bankruptcy Lawyer
King County — Snohomish County
Before deciding whether to file for bankruptcy or which option, Chapter 7 bankruptcy or Chapter 13 bankruptcy, is best for your situation, you need to find a bankruptcy law attorney you can trust.
A good bankruptcy attorney can not only provide you with the information you need to make the best decisions possible, a bankruptcy lawyer who you trust can also help you to understand and feel comfortable with the process and make the process itself, much more manageable.
Of course, if you are choosing a bankruptcy attorney, I would prefer that you choose Sno-Isle Bankruptcy But whatever decision you do make, here are some things to consider:
Do I Actually Need a Bankruptcy Attorney?
Because the one thing that binds almost all bankruptcy debtors is a lack of available money, many people consider filing bankruptcy without a bankruptcy lawyer. This option (called “Pro Se”) is available to you, and if you check out the Congressional Disclosures on this site, you will see that I am required to make sure you understand that you are not required to hire a bankruptcy lawyer.
That said, I personally believe having an attorney is essential. Why?
First, the new bankruptcy law is more rigid in its requirements. In the past, if a debtor failed to follow through on a documentation requirement or filed incorrect paperwork, there was usually an opportunity to correct the problem.
No more.
Under the current bankruptcy law, there are several deadlines for actions, and failure to perform these tasks on time will result in dismissal of your case. You need an attorney to make sure you meet these deadlines.
Second, everyone else in the process is a lawyer or has an attorney. The Judge. The Trustee. The Creditors. If you are the only one without legal help, you are at a disadvantage. You can be bullied by the other side into making a bad deal, if you do not know your rights.
Finally, it is a lot more expensive to hire an attorney to fix problems than it is to help you from start to finish.
What about Petition or Paralegal Services?
One option that I strongly recommend against is a petition preparation service or paralegal service. These companies will charge anywhere between $100.00 and $400.00 to prepare your petition. To me, this is a complete waste of your money. If you decide not to hire a bankruptcy attorney, fill out the forms yourself. The tricky parts of the system are after you file, not before. A paralegal cannot give you legal advice. A paralegal cannot represent you in court or talk to your creditors. All they can do is type your paperwork.
What Should I Look For in Choosing A Bankruptcy Attorney?
Find an attorney with experience…
You do not want to be the test case for a brand new attorney or one that just dabbles in bankruptcy. A good test is one that has done at least 1,000 cases. In my case, I have represented about 6,000 families in bankruptcy court.
Find an attorney who concentrates on Bankruptcy…
You do not need drunk driving defense advice or divorce advice. So why hire an attorney who does a little bit of everything? Choose a bankruptcy law attorney who just works in bankruptcy court or who at least does 90% of his/her cases in bankruptcy court.
In my case, I do bankruptcy work exclusively. As a result, not only do I know the law, but also I know the judges, the trustees, and the attorneys who usually represent creditors. This gives my clients an advantage.
Choose between Flat-fee work and a la Carte work…
Bankruptcy attorneys can charge you in one of two ways. Some attorneys charge a flat-fee. Once that fee is paid, the client is only responsible for court costs. The lawyer will not charge extra fees no matter how complicated the case gets. Other bankruptcy attorneys charge a base rate for the minimum services all cases require, and charge more for any additional work.
Most cases require at least some additional work, so you should not count on the base fee being the total fee. Sometimes, the base fee can be slightly less than flat-fees up front, but ends up costing more, and a lot more if anything goes wrong. In my case, I usually can offer a flat-fee of $900.00 plus costs.
Good Payment Plans and Scams…
Many people facing bankruptcy are in a major cash flow crunch, and do not have the full fee up front. A reputable Washington bankruptcy lawyer will usually offer to get started for a portion of the fee. In my case, I will get started for $350.00 down. This includes your ability to refer your creditors to me to get them off your back.
However, no reputable attorney will actually file the case while fees are still outstanding. After all, that would mean that a debt exists that can be bankrupted. An attorney who offers to take fees after the filing as part of a payment plan either does not understand the basic points of bankruptcy law and is, therefore, unqualified to handle your case—or the attorney assumes wrongly that the laws of bankruptcy do not apply to they themselves.
Since an attorney will usually take your creditor calls while you raise the rest of the funds, go with an attorney who is ethical enough and competent enough to require all fees prior to filing. Please note that the filing fee to the court can be delayed under limited circumstances. This section is about the attorneys' fees only.
Most importantly, choose an attorney you trust.
The price difference between most attorneys may seem large, but not when compared to your need to get the case done right and your need to treat you with courtesy and respect. After all, you are the customer.
When talking to an attorney's office, were your questions answered on the phone or did they try to make you come in to answer your basic questions? Did you feel like you were being pressured or treated like a case number? Did the attorney, or the staff, treat you like an idiot or a deadbeat? Don't put up with rude behavior. Pick someone you like and trust. You will be developing a working relationship with that person.
Getting Started…
The next step is up to you and remember…it costs nothing to find out what your bankruptcy options are.
Get started today with a free attorney consultation—contact a Washington bankruptcy attorney at Sno-Isle Bankruptcy in Lynnwood, Washington right now.
Call Toll Free at 1-877-570-5588
Free Attorney Consultation
Weekend Appointments Available
Sno-Isle Bankruptcy
7100 Evergreen Way, Suite E
Everett, WA 98203
Phone: 425-265-9400
Fax: 425-265-9401
