You’ve made a commitment to getting out of debt, and now you’re trying to narrow down the field to decide which bankruptcy lawyer to hire. Truth be known, there are a lot of us in New York – some with decades of experience, some with a few years, and even more just breaking into the field.
And just because someone’s still a newbie doesn’t mean they aren’t good at what they do. I know a lot of lawyers who have been in court just a few months and can run circles around those who have been in the trenches for 20 years or more.
How do you decide who to hire for your bankruptcy case? If you’re like most people, the fallback position to is examine fees. Lowest fee wins, right?
Wrong. At least, it should be wrong.
There are competent consumer bankruptcy lawyers in New York who will file your Chapter 7 bankruptcy for $800 plus the filing fees. And there are others who will charge you $4,000 or more for the same case.
I know you’re not made of money (if you were, chances are good that you wouldn’t be thinking about filing for bankruptcy in the first place) but the important thing to look at is what you’re getting for your bankruptcy lawyer’s fees.
Experience counts (to an extent), to be sure. But what kind of responsiveness should you expect from your lawyer? How accessible are they by email (for those days at work when you have a question and can’t pick up the phone)? Do they have a feel for who you are and what problems you’re having, or are they retiring each evening to their palatial estate to sip brandy by the fireplace?
Above all, what will they do for you? Will they take the initiative and get in touch with your creditors immediately, or will they let the calls keep coming until your case is filed? Will the lawyer help you re-build your credit after the case is done? Heck, will they take the time to explain things to you in language you can actually understand?
Again, I know you don’t have a ton of spare cash sitting around waiting to be spent on some fancy-pants lawyer. You’ve got to balance reality with the marketplace, and get the best lawyer you can afford. But if you make your decision based solely on cost then you may end up getting exactly what you paid for.
What do you think? Have you filed for bankruptcy in New York with a lawyer? If so, sound off in the comments section to tell us how much you paid – and if it was worth it.
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