Free Consultation – Fact or Fiction?
Many bankruptcy attorneys claim to provide a free consultation regarding your situation. The question is what is considered a consultation. This definition can vary wildly between attorneys. Currently, there is no regulation governing what a consultation may or may not cover, and for some it is extremely minimal.
Some bankruptcy attorneys do not offer free consultations at all. For any time you spend with the attorney, you will be billed. Their hourly rate can begin at $300 an hour. Some bankruptcy consultations can take two or three hours. In this case, you could be billed up to $900 before you are even sure bankruptcy is right for you. You would then be billed, of course, for filing the bankruptcy itself. This could cost an additional $1,000 to $2,000. In total, the cost of a bankruptcy for someone who is in financial distress could end up costing them $3,000 or more.
Good—There are bankruptcy attorneys that say they offer a “free consultation,” but consider a consultation as minimal as collecting your name and telephone number, which you don’t even give to the attorney. The paralegal collects that information and gives it to the attorney. Everything after that will be billed at the attorney’s regular rate.
Better—Other attorneys will provide you an initial phone conversation at no charge. This phone call will cover some bankruptcy basics and some details surrounding your situation. However, any follow up to this conversation will be billed at the attorney’s hourly rate. If you are not totally prepared for this conversation, then you will likely walk away with many more questions than answers and will be calling back in the future. It is important to discover these costs as you make your comparison for bankruptcy representation.
Best—As you shop around, you should look for a bankruptcy attorney that will provide you with enough information that you can make a decision on how best to move forward. They should offer options to you regarding debt relief and how you can proceed. They should even provide follow up information, if necessary, for you to make your decision. You come into this process knowing nothing about bankruptcy; it should not cost you an arm and a leg to find out your options.
A full service debt relief law firm such as Harold Shepley & Associates is an example of a firm that will provide you with all the information you need to make an informed decision about your situation, at no charge.
Now, that’s a consultation!
March 15, 2012 Posted in Bankruptcy, Free Consultation Tagged bankruptcy, free consultation, Harrisburg, Nationwide, Pennsylvania, Pittsburg Leave a comment
