It’s ironic. The proceedings which result from a typical personal bankruptcy are actually very expensive. You can plan on paying over three hundred dollars to file, along with doing a ton of paperwork and enduring the stress you are already no doubt going through as a result of debt and creditor harassment. In this situation getting a good bankruptcy lawyer can seem impossible.
However, in this current economic climate there are reputable lawyers who serve everyday people with cheap bankruptcy. They will help you understand your situation, the penalties which come from bankruptcy (including damage to your credit rating, liquidation, criminal charges in the case of tax fraud or fraudulent conveyance… etc), other options which might be available, and the steps you will need to take to make your bankruptcy claim.
But you need to remember the hallmark of a good bankruptcy lawyer—no matter their cost. Personal attention.
The faulty economy has generated whole schools of “bankruptcy mills” in which lawyers take on massive numbers of bankruptcy cases, dealing with them in an assembly line fashion, ignoring the particulars of the cases, and often not even meeting with the client before the case. High pressure sales tactics and misleading information to generate more income for the firm is also common. Your bankruptcy lawyer should know your name and you his. You should meet with the lawyer, know that they are local and familiar with the local courts and regional regulations, and you should know for a fact that they will be professional and follow through. If they don’t, you can always look into someone else and even report them to the court system itself.