Are you in financial trouble? Are you behind on your mortgage, and other loan payments? Or maybe maxed out all your credit cards? In short, there is big monetary trouble on your head.

But worry not, we have some news that will release your stress. You can file for bankruptcy which might save your car and home from being sold out. And for that, all you need is a good bankruptcy lawyer who will get you through this depressing time. 

Many people think that they can go ahead without hiring a lawyer but one thing is must understand that bankruptcy is a complicated and exacting process to deal with. People who don’t hire lawyers end up in a much worse situation than before winding up with lost possessions.

 

Now let’s understand why is it important to hire a bankruptcy lawyer

According to Mesa bankruptcy lawyers experts, finding a good bankruptcy lawyer is basically a 3 step process. The first step is to commence finding lawyers, the second step is to interview the potential lawyers and the final step is to choose a suitable lawyer who fits in all of your criteria.

Nowadays, there are a lot of websites available on the internet to find a good lawyer, however, we recommend you opt for the old fashioned methods, as they are more useful and reliable. You can ask your friends, colleagues, relatives if they know about any bankruptcy lawyers or if they know someone who knows any good lawyers. 

If not then you can go for the government authorized or registered websites as they are trustworthy and you can find some good lawyers over there as well.

 

Once you have found a few lawyers, do some background research about them. First of all, check whether the lawyer is certified or not. If the lawyer is not certified don’t even think of hiring him/her because probably he/she is not even a lawyer. A certified bankruptcy lawyer has great knowledge and also knows how to handle the delicate situation that you are in. It is always good to ask for an ID card when you meet them. 

You can look up the lawyer on the state bar website, where you can find the credibility of the lawyer, you can find out about the past cases, winning streak, etc.

After you have done with the vetting the final step is interviewing the lawyers. Don’t be shy to ask questions and clear all your doubts. After all, financial issues like bankruptcy are no joke and you want to be confident and sure about the lawyer you hire. Mesa bankruptcy lawyers have some advice for you on the interview process

 

 

What Should You Ask a Bankruptcy Lawyer?

When you interview a bankruptcy lawyer, you need to be assured about their competency and that they care about you and are interested in solving your problem. Here are a few questions that will help you during the interview and make the decision. 

  • Try to begin the conversation by establishing whether or not the lawyer thinks you are qualified to apply for bankruptcy? 
  • It will be good for you to find out, how many bankruptcy cases they have handled and what kind were they?
  • For how long has the lawyer or the firm been practicing? On what scale they work, how frequently they get offered with cases?
  • Are they quick in returning calls?
  • Ask them if they will do all the paperwork or not? Will they accompany you in court when required or not?

Remember one thing, that you need a person who will help you to get back on your feet. After the interview, jot down some key points about the lawyers. You can also make a list of pros and cons. 

Ask a few questions to yourself:

 

  • Did the bankruptcy lawyer listen to you properly?
  • Did you find them to be trustworthy?

The Three “E’s” for selecting a Bankruptcy Lawyer

A few Mesa bankruptcy lawyer experts state that there are mainly three E’s that will help you in finding a good bankruptcy lawyer and that are: Empathy, Experience, and expense.

Now, lets us begin in reverse order because if you can’t afford a lawyer, Empathy and Experience is of no use. So, let us talk about expenses first.

Don’t be shy to ask the lawyer about their charges. While interviewing them, ask them about their fees, and after that, you should be able to find a lawyer who will be affordable for you and will work with the finances that you have to offer. After all, you don’t want your situation to go worse by hiring very expensive lawyers. Avoid bankruptcy mills, that is a high volume law firm practice.

Some of the helpful tips that you are being put through bankruptcy mills:

  • Heavy advertising
  • Every month these firms file a large number of cases
  • They provide scant communication between the client and the lawyer
  • They fail to submit documents on time
  • They arrive at hearings unprepared or not show up at all

Keep these points in mind before hiring any bankruptcy lawyer. Be sure not to get milled. The only thing that matters is the three E’s that is Empathy, Experience, and Expense.

The next thing that is in line is experience

Of course, you want to be confident about the lawyer you hire. And unless you know about how many cases they have solved you can not be confident. Hiring a rookie lawyer will only get you stressed out as it will be like a shot in the dark. So be sure to ask them about their profile, their previous cases, what type of cases they have solved, etc

It is okay if the bankruptcy lawyers haven’t solved many cases but a few varieties of cases because then they have knowledge of a different variety of cases rather than having a lot of experience of similar types of cases.

Now, coming to empathy, in this stressful time you don’t want a lawyer who judges you or forms an opinion about the decisions you made. That will only put pressure on you. According to Mesa bankruptcy lawyers, a good attorney will never judge you, in fact, he/she will understand your situation and know very well that you are already embarrassed.

A good lawyer will talk you through it, listen to what you have to say and will empathize with you and the situation that you are in. They will help you to get out of this situation and start afresh.

Author's Bio: 

Mr. Yusufov, your experienced Phoenix/Mesa and Tucson Bankruptcy Attorney, has been involved in hundreds of cases, ranging from personal bankruptcies of individuals and families to the bankruptcies of major national and international corporations.