What to Look for in Selecting a Bankruptcy Lawyer

There are several ways to look for a bankruptcy lawyer. You could rely on personal referrals, inquire with nonprofit organizations, ask for representation by legal clinics, search in internet directories or law-referral panels.

Either way, it is important to hire an experienced bankruptcy lawyer. For this reason, it is often recommended to look for a member of the National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys (NACBA). Due to the constantly changing bankruptcy laws, you need to find a lawyer who is up to date with the recent amendments of the law and has the means to communicate with other bankruptcy lawyers. Being a member of the NACBA indicates that a lawyer is knowledgeable of all current changes of the law and the most recent court cases. As a member of the NACBA, the Cimino Benham law firm has become a reliable legal service provider, particularly in Denver.

Characteristics of a Good Legal Counsel

There are at least four characteristics that you should look for in a bankruptcy lawyer. First, the attorney should not be intimidating in any way. Otherwise, you might hesitate in expressing your own opinion with regard to the case. This could be crucial in a bankruptcy case because every decision could affect your present and future financial affairs.

Second, you should inquire about the lawyer’s accessibility and availability. During the initial consultation, the lawyer should inform you on how he will proceed with the case – whether he intends to handle the case himself or if a paralegal would be responsible for routine matters. This way, you would know who to ask if you have a particular question about your case.

Third, it is crucial to have a lawyer who can give brief but concise answers to your questions. During the initial consultation, look at how he responds to your knowledge of the legal issues. Inexperienced lawyers would often feel threatened or intimidated by clients who have made some research prior to the meeting.

Lastly, a bankruptcy lawyer should be organized in every step of the procedure. Typically, an experienced lawyer would ask the client to fill out a questionnaire so he can prepare prior to the initial meeting. Some lawyers even ask for certain documents such as the most recent credit report and tax return. Yet some do not require anything prior to the first meeting. To assess how organized a lawyer is, you should come to the meeting with all the required materials then ask him about his recommendations. If his suggestions don’t make sense to you and he doesn’t seem to have a solid grasp of the applicable law then inquire with another firm.

Types of Representation

Hiring a lawyer to assume complete responsibility for a bankruptcy case is called full–service representation. “Unbundled services”, on the other hand, is the type where the lawyer will only be responsible for a particular element of the case and the rest will be handled by the client himself. In simple cases where there are no complications such as lien avoidance, self-representation could be feasible. However, there are cases that seem simple at first but turn out to be very complicated. Thus, in doubt, you should hire a full-service representing lawyer at least at the beginning of the preparation or if the court requires special documents that do not come in forms. The Cimino Benham law firm is known to provide high quality legal service both as “full-service” legal representatives or as legal counsel for particular bankruptcy matters.

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