When in a financial emergency, people don’t really think straight because they are under tremendous stress and pressure to pay up their creditors. There are times when the debtor might end up making wrong choices that can bury him even further down the hole of debt. Decisions have to be made regarding consulting the right lawyer or paying for reputed and experienced debt consolidation services and other such matters. If you search for a few numbers in your telephone directory for local debt consolidation or bankruptcy lawyers, you will find several of them claiming they are the best. Choosing the right person is difficult and that is why you should know a few things about them to enable you make the right choice.
There is a difference between lawyers who handle general financial problems and those who handle bankruptcy. Not all financial lawyers have experience in bankruptcy. When you talk to your lawyer about your bankruptcy issue make sure you find out if he has any experience with that. Just like any other service, bankruptcy lawyers also charge fees within the range of $1000 to $3000 depending on the state you live in. Asking the right questions will help you decide if he is the right person. Upon asking about the fee, no reputable lawyer will give out a random number without understanding your situation and the type of trouble you are in. On your part, you should not simply judge the lawyer on the length of his career. Ask him or find out whether the attorney has any prior experience regarding Chapter 7 and 13.
Make sure you talk to or find out about at least 3 to 4 different lawyers and find out their fee. Anyone quoting a very low fee should be someone to be wary of because most bankruptcy lawyers tend to charge within the same range and their fees are also capped by the court depending on the case.
Lawyers who tend to advertise themselves as jack of all trades are also the kind of people to stay away from because there is a high chance of them being the jack of all but master of nothing! It is a safer choice to find someone who has a little narrow experience.
Always try to research about the firm or lawyer before accepting his services. There are just too many scammers out there who have no regard for their clients. All they can see is the money to be earned without actually giving the services you need and unless you have experience dealing with lawyers, it will be very difficult to spot scammers. You would not find many reviews of law firms and lawyers on the internet as well. The best idea is to run to the local bar council to get their recommendations or perhaps talk to your family friends who might happen to know someone fitting.
Even in case of bankruptcy, you will find lawyers who have experience with business bankruptcy rather than personal bankruptcy. Therefore, you need to be specific while making you enquiry to avoid confusions. There are always legitimate websites that specialize in bankruptcy such as the one over here, www.bolinskelaw.com and bankruptcy.lawyers.com.
When you have finally decided to meet up with a lawyer you have just found, there are still things to look out for. See to it that your consultation with him lasts for atleast an hour. Get your questions out to him and have them answered. If the lawyer does not devote his consultation time and tries to hurry things up, he is not your guy. Personal interaction is just as important as having the right experience and a good fee amount. Make sure you are able to build a good relationship with him during the consultation period before you proceed with the case.