Posts Tagged ‘Bankruptcy lawyers’
Select a Bankruptcy Lawyer
Before you select a bankruptcy lawyer, make sure you are prepared. Make a list of all of your debts, including credit card bills, outstanding medical bills, car loan, and mortgage information.
Also compile tax returns for the previous five years, as well as your spouse’s financial information so that you have a good handle on your situation when you start to interview bankruptcy lawyers.
1. Select a lawyer in the state where you will be filing bankruptcy. Generally, you will need to a pick a bankruptcy lawyer in the state where you reside, but if you have moved to your state within the past three months, you may need to choose a bankruptcy lawyer in your previous state.
2. Get references. If you have friends, family, or co-workers who have filed bankruptcy, ask them for recommendations for lawyers. If you are not able to get any personal recommendations for bankruptcy lawyers, begin by looking on the Internet or in the phone book.
Regardless of where you find your lawyer, you may want to do a web search for the firm’s name to see if former clients have posted any feedback online.
3. Set up an initial meeting. When you call a bankruptcy lawyer for the first time, make sure that he offers free consultations.
4. Talk to the lawyer. Get a feel for the lawyer during the consultation. Look at whether she is straightforward when answering your questions and whether you feel satisfied with the information you are receiving. Read the rest of this entry »
Become a Bankruptcy Lawyer
With the number of bankruptcy filings soaring and the many recent changes in bankruptcy law, becoming a bankruptcy lawyer is a sound career decision.
Bankruptcy lawyers are always in demand, making this specialty more secure than many others. The stream of personal and corporate bankruptcies is not likely to end anytime soon, making working in a bankruptcy practice a lucrative career for years to come.
1. Obtain an undergraduate college degree, preferably in pre-law.
2. Prepare for the Law School Admission Test, also called the LSAT. Take a preparatory course or buy study books and prep at home.
3. Pass the LSAT with the highest score possible to ensure law school entrance. If you fail the first time, take it again.
4. Apply to law schools, keeping your college GPA and LSAT grade in mind when deciding which schools to apply to.
5. Attend 3 years of law school. Apply for and complete internships throughout this time to get the experience you will need to get hired later. Do an internship for a reputable law firm, working with a bankruptcy practice if possible.
6. Graduate, and then join a bankruptcy practice or start your own. To start your own practice, you will need to purchase the latest office technology to comply with the paperless filing methods used in bankruptcy proceedings. Get the hardware and software necessary for preparing the schedules and bankruptcy petitions.