Whenever you’re looking for any kind of professional, one of the best places to start looking is through your friends and family. People may not want to admit that they’ve filed for bankruptcy before, and you may not want to come right out and ask them if they have or admit that you are yourself. But you can ask people you know if they have a lawyer or know one that they can recommend.
Always use a lawyer that specializes in Bankruptcy. Although other lawyers may tell you that they can handle your bankruptcy case, and they probably can, it’s much better to get someone who specializes in bankruptcy cases.
Of course, two other places to find anyone is online or in the Yellow Pages. The Yellow Pages may be able to give you a good idea of what bankruptcy lawyers in your area, and they may also have their websites listed so you can go online and find out more about them. Of course, if you’re interested in also trying out virtual attorneys, going online is the only place to go.
Better than going through the Yellow Pages, searching online, or even asking friends and family, you should check different associations and organizations when looking for a bankruptcy lawyer. The American Bar Association is one of the best places you can look for a bankruptcy lawyer.
Their website even has an online lawyer locater where you can easily search for bankruptcy lawyers in your area. Another association that will help you search for a bankruptcy lawyer online is the National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys. Their website also has an Attorney Finder where you can just enter in what kind of lawyer you’re looking for.
Remember that wherever you look for a bankruptcy lawyer, you need to collect a list of names, and not just let the first lawyer you find handle your case. Once you have a list of a few names, you can then start contacting them individually to find out if they’re the best lawyer for you.
It’s during this interview time that you’ll find out if the lawyer is capable, professional, and if you have a good rapport with them. Bankruptcy is an incredibly hard and incredibly stressful thing. You want to make sure that whoever helps you through it, that you feel comfortable with them.
