How I work
What working with me looks like
Most people tell me the hardest part of filing bankruptcy was picking up the phone. Everything after that, we do together, one step at a time. Here is what working with me looks like, from the first call to the discharge order, and I'll explain each step as we go.
Step by step
From the first call to the discharge
The first call (or not!)
Connecting with our office is easy. You can call and speak with a paralegal to book a Strategy Session, or you can book one on your own through our site. We don't "prequalify" or screen potential clients through a sales department. No one will pressure you into an appointment. If you want to work with me, I make it easy to schedule time to get started.
The Strategy Session
Plenty of firms offer a "free consultation" where they will provide generic bankruptcy information and sell you on the benefits of their office. I've intentionally chosen a different approach and that's why I offer a paid Strategy Session instead. I want to provide you with real guidance based on substantive details so you can make an informed decision. You complete a short intake and can provide documents for my review beforehand. I will analyze your specific situation before we talk, so you get real advice during our half hour call. We spend that time on you: which chapter fits, what you keep, what the timeline looks like, and the specific worries that have been keeping you up at night. Most people leave with a plan, and many tell me they feel relief for the first time in a long time.
Documents & Information
Bankruptcy runs on data! Making a full and fair disclosure of income, expenses, assets, debts and financial history is a requirement of the Code. Gathering those details ensures your case runs smoothly. We will ask you to complete a more thorough questionnaire and to provide documentation like pay stubs, tax returns, and bank statements. Our secure Client Portal is open from day 1 and available all the time. You can work there on your own schedule. We review what you submit, track what is still outstanding and update you in real time, so you are never left guessing. If something is hard to find, tell us. We have helped many people through this part, and we know the tricks to get what you need.
Drafting
When you have provided the documents and answered the questions, we prepare the petition, schedules, statements and disclosures needed to finalize your case for filing. The final package usually runs 60-90 pages. It usually takes us 10-14 days to prepare the petition and we will have follow up questions for you. While we are drafting, you will take your mandatory credit counseling course online. This one hour class is your ticket into the bankruptcy court and we use a provider we have carefully selected and trust.
Case Review Meeting and Filing
Before a document is filed with the Court, we will walk you through every page, reviewing it for accuracy and completeness. You will meet with me to discuss the final petition and make the last few updates before you sign it for filing. Together, we will verify that every number in it is true, accurate and complete. Once it is signed and filed, you will receive a complete copy along with all the details for your next steps.
The Automatic Stay
The best benefit of filing your case is that the automatic stay takes effect. That is the court order that stops collection activity, garnishments, and most lawsuits while your case is open, and it begins the day we file. For many people, this is the day the phone finally goes quiet.
The 341 meeting
About a month after filing, you attend the meeting of creditors, called the 341 after the section of the Bankruptcy Code that requires it. It is not a court hearing, and there is no judge, but it is the moment of the case that causes the most anxiety for my clients. The meetings are held by Zoom, and are scheduled four to five every half hour. That means the Trustee, an attorney who administers your case, has 6-8 minutes for each case. During the meeting, your trustee will ask you a series of short questions about your situation. I will prepare you ahead of time and I will be with you the whole time. Creditors almost never attend. Most people tell me afterward that it was far easier than they feared.
Discharge
In a Chapter 7, the discharge order usually arrives about two and a half to three months after the 341. In a Chapter 13, it comes at the end of the plan. Either way, it is a court order that releases you from the debt, and I will explain clearly what it covers and what it does not. For many clients, it is the first day in years they can truly breathe, knowing that debt is behind them. It is an important moment, and we celebrate it with you!
The difference
How my office cares for you
When you have a question during your case, you can ask your paralegal, who already knows your file, and anything that needs my judgment comes to me. You will not be left waiting in a queue.
I review your intake and documents myself before our Strategy Session, so I already understand your situation before we talk.
I listen to your story, I review every line of your petition before it is filed, and I am with you at the 341. My team works with you throughout, alongside me rather than instead of me. No one hands you off and disappears.
My firm is small enough that everyone working on your case knows what is happening with it, and knows you.
Behind the scenes
Why the experience is consistent
Behind the scenes, I personally built the systems we use to fit our office and our clients: a secure Client Portal, with sophisticated document tracking and intake questions that are tailored to each client. Together with case management that follows every open case, they ensure we can always tell you exactly what is outstanding and never ask you for something we do not need.
Those systems are there for one reason: so that nothing about your case slips through the cracks, and the care you receive never depends on how busy the week is.
From home
You can do all of this from home
You can do everything from home. Consultations, the Strategy Session, documents, and the 341 meeting are handled by phone, by video, and through the portal. That means you don't have to take off work, arrange for child care, or spend money on gas or parking to work with us. There is no office you need to visit.
Most of my clients prefer it this way. You can talk with me from your own home, on your own schedule, without sitting in a waiting room or being stuck in traffic. We leverage technology to save you time and money.
If you are still deciding whether to call, the questions page answers the ones people most often hesitate to ask. You are always welcome to ask me directly.
You do not have to figure this out alone.
From the first call, you will be treated with kindness and respect, and without judgment. You can call my office or book a Strategy Session yourself, and no one will pressure you.