Who You Gonna Call–Your ATTORNEY!

Recently I got an e-mail from one of our Chapter 13 trustees, asking that I express her condolences to my client on the death of his wife.  That was very nice, but the problem is that this was news to me.  My client called the Chapter 13 office to ask what he should do about [...]

How To Pay For Bankruptcy

It has been difficult lately to find anything positive in South Carolina’s economic picture, and the financial meltdown means more pressure on more families.  Given the current climate, I wanted to frankly address a question that comes up in virtually every client meeting, and is among the most popular online searches: If I need to [...]

Why I Do What I Do

Someone identified only as “PaulMac” wrote here on this blog, in response to my post about Richard Bitner, the subprime insider who wrote about his experiences in the subprime industry, the following:
I would add another group of people who are profiting greatly from the subprime problems (and economy in general), and will continue to profit [...]

Looking for a Bankruptcy Attorney? Here Are Some Tips

Bankrate has an article by Jenny C. McCune entitled “13 Tips to Avoid Hiring a Bad Bankruptcy Attorney.” Overall, it’s pretty good advice, though some of the tips aren’t so much “avoiding bad attorneys” as they are “avoiding bad results.” Still, it’s worth a look.
To this list, I’d add the following comments:

Don’t discount new [...]

“Cheap Bankruptcy Lawyers”? Or “Get What You Pay For”?

Someone used the phrase “cheap SC bankruptcy lawyers” to find my site this weekend. I’m not sure whether to be offended or pleased that my SEO* efforts are working! Just kidding. While I market myself, as every attorney must, on the basis of my strengths, I steadfastly refuse to compete with my fellow attorneys on [...]

“But What Will the Neighbors Think?”: Why They (Most Likely) Will Never Know (Unless You Tell ‘Em)

My good friend and colleague from the other side of the Palmetto State (i.e., Greenville/Spartanburg), Dana Wilkinson, has penned a thoughtful piece on one of bankruptcy debtors’ biggest fears: who will find out about my bankruptcy?
The likely answer: Not many. Your creditors have to find out, of course. And some family members or your employer [...]

Don’t Shop for A Bankruptcy Attorney on Price Alone

Most bankruptcy attorneys, except for the high-volume shops, will notcompete on price. I do not, for example. I welcome inquiries into cost,and even publicly state my starting fees ($1500 for Chapter 7, $2500for Chapter 13). But I won’t bargain or try to beat another attorney’sprice. The reason is simple: my services are valuable to the [...]

Why You Should NOT File For Bankruptcy “Pro Se”

Yes, it is in fact your Constitutional right to represent yourself in court proceedings. No question. It’s an important right, and I have no intention of arguing against it as a right. What I am going to argue in this post: as a matter of practice, you should never represent yourself in bankruptcy as a [...]

SC Bar Announces Online Lawyer Referral Service

The South Carolina Bar’s Lawyer Referral Service is now online, according to this announcement. The LRS is an easy way for South Carolinians to get referrals to attorneys who charge only a minimum amount (up to $50 per half hour) for an initial consultation. Many SC attorneys across the state participate in this program.
Now [...]