Sometimes both clients and bankruptcy attorneys are not thrilled with each other during the attorney-client relationship. The client blames their attorney for complications that occur during the bankruptcy and the attorney blames their client for providing inadequate information. To reduce the probability of complications during your bankruptcy here are some simple steps you can take to help your bankruptcy attorney along the way.<\/p>\n
Hopefully your bankruptcy attorney has an organized system for handling your bankruptcy. Ideally the attorney should have provided you with a list of the documents you must provide and advised you on how to organize those documents. Better yet, the attorney may have given you labeled folders to help you organize those documents. If not, you will have to take it upon yourself to get organized. Don\u2019t just dump a pile of papers on the attorney\u2019s desk. Instead, organize those papers into files for personal property, real property, etc. <\/p>\n
Attorneys have a bad reputation for not staying in contact with their clients. It\u2019s annoying when you call your attorney only to get their voicemail. While you understand that the attorney is busy, you probably expect a return call within 24 hours. The same holds true for your attorney. Many bankruptcy attorneys get frustrated by poor client communication. These bankruptcy attorneys call again and again and leave message after message to no avail. If you will not be answering your phone due to creditor harassment, arrange alternative methods of communication with your attorney. For instance, exchange email addresses and commit to checking that email account several times a day.<\/p>\n
Sometimes clients hold something back from their bankruptcy attorney. Maybe you recently sold your car to a relative and believe that by not telling your bankruptcy attorney about the transaction the whole thing will not come back to haunt you. In reality, that is probably the worst thing you could do. Your attorney may be able to cure the transaction following a rule established in In re Adeeb<\/a> (9th Cir 1986). With that in mind, be honest with your attorney. When your bankruptcy attorney asks you a question, answer it truthfully and thoroughly. <\/p>\n Your bankruptcy attorney cannot wave a magic wand and have your entire bankruptcy move forward on its own inertia. You will have to do a lot of work before your bankruptcy attorney can file your bankruptcy petition. You will have to assemble extensive documentation. For instance, your bankruptcy attorney will require 6 months of pay stubs or other income information, bank statements, vehicle registration and title documents, and much more. All of this information is necessary to file accurate bankruptcy documents and a solid petition that will encounter few obstacles down the road. Absent this documentation your bankruptcy petition may omit crucial information and unintentionally contain misleading information. While cheap bankruptcy attorneys and petition prepares may be more willing to take short cuts in preparing your bankruptcy documents, a good bankruptcy attorney will not.<\/p>\nProvide Documentation For Your Bankruptcy Attorney<\/h2>\n