What A Bankruptcy Attorney Does

By Ruthie Livingston


Being in a position of not being able to afford financial responsibilities is called bankruptcy. Any bankruptcy attorney feels good during economic difficulties because of several reasons. Many people file for bankruptcy during economic hardships because there are no jobs and foreclosures remain on the rise. These problems caused by the condition of the economy translate into more clients for these attorneys.

The role of these lawyers is to assist their clients with court proceedings in order to either eliminate or reduce the debts they owe others. Clients represented may be individual citizens or corporations. Examples of clients are creditor committees, corporate or individual creditors, bankruptcy trustees, or individual or corporate debtors. Lawyers take time to gain a deep understanding of the case at hand before they can provide advice, file legal documents, or argue cases in court.

Besides a slight difference in courses taken, other aspects involved in becoming a bankruptcy lawyer remains the same for all categories of lawyers. The two major requirements are a bachelor degree and a law degree. Most law schools have similar courses for all types of attorneys during their first year. However, specialization begins after the first and in some cases the second year.

Specializing in bankruptcy-related courses like creditor rights, income taxation, and negotiations is important for aspirants. One should choose a law school that is well-known because that becomes a factor when looking for a job. Although not a requirement for practicing law, some people decide to pursue further education and earn a master degree. It is important that one belong to at least one professional organization in their state.

After graduating from law school, the next process before one can become a professional lawyer is to acquire a license. Licenses require one to take and pass a bar exam administered by the national organization that regulates the practice of law in that country. Once the bar exam is passed, one gets admitted into the bar of the state and become licensed attorneys. Employers are more interested in people with prior experience, hence that can give one an added advantage.

It is very tiresome to work as a lawyer for bankrupt people. A lot of hours have to be put in the work every day and meetings with clients or other stakeholders never miss too. Most meetings are normally scheduled for weekends or evenings to fit into the schedules of clients. Most attorney offices open from Monday to Friday, but some open for a few hours on weekends. It is normal for them to have their weekends or holidays ruined by calls from work.

There are a few factors on which the work environment depends on. Offices, libraries, and homes are some of the environments in which a lawyer may work from when they are conducting research on a case or drafting motions. They also work in courtrooms when presenting and arguing motions. The job also involves a bit of field work. Attorneys may have to locate and question witnesses and other individuals in the field.

The salary earned by lawyers is satisfactory for most practitioners because it is decent. Additionally, practitioners can earn extra income from other ventures besides representing clients. To prevent clients from being manipulated by counsels, a salary cap is imposed on the amount that a lawyer can gain from a single case.




About the Author: