Joseph Q. Lou Esq. | Chicago Bankruptcy Attorney | Chicago Personal Injury Attorney

With the tough decision of choosing the bankruptcy option, comes another tough decision: Which bankruptcy firm to go with? Below are some tips that I gave an out-of-state friend who was looking for an attorney in her state.

(My office does only Illinois cases)

1) FIRST IMPRESSION IS GENERALLY RIGHT

How much a firm values the client is generally reflected in the quality of the meeting space. If you come into an initial consultation where the office looks cheap, empty and disorganized, trust your gut feelings. Do not sign any contract unless you are fully comfortable in having that firm represent you in a very important and very personal legal matter.

2) OBSERVE THE WAITING ROOM

A firm that respects a client’s time should not over-book appointments. A client who is on time for an initial consultation meeting should not be waiting more than an hour in a packed waiting room. An attorney with a packed waiting room will not give quality attention to each individual. If you find yourself waiting in packed room, you should not feel ashamed about walking out.

3) OBSERVE THE ATTORNEY

At the initial consultation meeting, you can sense whether you are dealing with a serious legal professional or a salesperson with a law degree. A good attorney should explain your options without pressuring you into signing up. Be skeptical about the quality of service if you feel that the attorney’s manner of speaking is very scripted and fake—Or worse, you heard the attorney reciting the same script to the client who went in ahead of you!

4) KNOW WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR CASE

Ideally, the same attorney you meet at the initial consultation meeting should be fully responsible for managing and filing your case. Unfortunately, the way many big bankruptcy firms work, the nicely dressed attorney you meet only has one role: To sign you up. Most of the actual work is done by legal assistants behind the scenes. Beware before choosing a “group practice,” as there is no way of actually knowing who will be doing the work on your case.