Sample Client Interview

Attorney: "Thank you for coming. Please have a seat. Let's talk about your situation."

Client: "I hope that you can help me. I was doing very well a few years back, but I've been badly affected by the current market. Now I have credit card bills that I can't pay, bill collectors calling me, and they're threatening to take me to court!""

Attorney: "Looking at the information you gave me, you would qualify for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. A bankruptcy discharge is a court order that will release you from all your dischargeable debts, including those credit debts."

Client: "But I'm afraid of losing the things I own if I file a bankruptcy."

Attorney: "Based on your list of assets, it seems that all of your belongings will be exempt, which means you lose nothing after filing a bankruptcy. However, if it appears later on that you may lose some of your assets by filing a chapter 7 bankruptcy, we can discuss your options under a chapter 13 debt consolidation proceeding."

Client: "That sounds good, but I'm worried about my credit score. I would still like to get credit cards after my bankruptcy."

Attorney: "Normally our clients have no trouble getting credit cards after bankruptcy. You can immediately begin re-establishing your credit after your discharge. Due to the fact that you are wiping out your debts and cannot file again for a certain amount of years, you would look attractive to credit card companies."

Client: "What about lawsuits?"

Attorney: "Collection actions, including lawsuits, are all stopped when we file your bankruptcy case."

Client: "I'm very concerned about how it would affect my job..."

Attorney: "Most of the time, employers are not notified when a bankruptcy case is filed unless your employer is also a creditor. However, it is illegal for your employer to discriminate against you because you filed a bankruptcy."