Beware the Bankruptcy Mill
There are bankruptcy mills throughout the greater Tulsa Area. A Bankruptcy Mill brings you in, and churns your case through. Are your personal finances unique? Are they different from your neighbor? These questions do no matter to a bankruptcy mill. To a Bankruptcy mill you are cookie dough, shoved through a cookie cutter, with little or no care.
A bankruptcy mill is interested in you ONLY for what you can do for them. Their job is to crank out the maximum number of cases each month and often do so with as little specialized attention as possible. Often times these firms push their attorneys to file a minimum number of cases each month, or to maintain a minimum closing ratio. I have heard horror stories from clients with improperly filed bankruptcies from bankruptcy mills. Stories ranging from clients whose debts are deemed non-dischargeable due to the attorney’s inadequate litigation skills, to the Debtor who has lost their home due to the attorney’s inattention to detail.
Choosing an attorney to represent you in one of your most difficult times is a tough decision. You may not choose us to represent you. If nothing else it is my hope that you walk away today being wary of the dreaded Bankruptcy Mill.
Signs That You are Dealing With a Bankruptcy Mill
- The firm boasts about how many cases it files – While the firm may claim this is an indication of success, it is the most obvious statement that you are just another number to them.
- Your attorney doesn’t attend your creditor’s meeting – If you are dealing with a bankruptcy mill, it is likely that you already know by this point. Your fears will be further realized when the person you thought was your attorney, is in fact not the person who represents you at your meeting.
- The only option you’re told about is to file bankruptcy – Often times, a client may come to see me and they have more attractive options other than bankruptcy. A good bankruptcy attorney knows all the alternative options and will share them with you. You may still choose bankruptcy in the end, however you are given options to choose from.
- High turnover of attorneys and staff members – If you notice your bankruptcy firm often has new employees this should be a giant red flag. A bankruptcy mill often treats its employees just like its clients; just another number. If the firm treats its employees poorly, how do you think they treat their clients?
You don’t have to settle for such impersonal and non-attentive treatment from your bankruptcy attorney. There are firms out there where experienced bankruptcy attorneys take their time meeting with you, evaluating your case, and protecting your assets. I know they exist because RS Law is one of them.
Bankruptcy is a stressful event for most people and your attorney should seek to lessen that stress by answering your questions quickly and being available throughout the process.