Bankruptcy

Why Do I Ask Clients, "Is there Anything Else You Think I Ought to Know?"

By Joseph McDaniel, Esq.

Remember that they call it the practice of law.

There's a reason for that. You learn as you go. Every single day.

About twenty-eight years ago a nice young man called me on the phone about a possible bankruptcy filing.

I asked him a ton of questions. He answered; he was well-spoken, well-mannered, and well-organized.

I figured he was an ideal client on the hoof.

At the end of the discussion, he asked if there were going to be any law enforcement officers at the first meeting of creditors.

I responded that it was in the Federal Building, so yeah, there were going to be Feds.

I asked why he had asked the question. He answered that he had recently become aware of a warrant for his arrest.

For murder.

I told him he didn't need me. I gave him the name of three board-certified criminal defense lawyers here in Phoenix, and suggest that he not pay me, and instead pay them.

Whatever they wanted.

And I also pointed out that credit cards were the least of his worries.

NOTHING HERE CONSTITUTES LEGAL ADVICE RE A CHAPTER 7, CHAPTER 13, CHAPTER 11, OR CHAPTER 12. FIND AN ARIZONA BANKRUPTCY LAWYER WHO IS BOARD CERTIFIED IN BANKRUPTCY LAW, AV RATED, AVVO 10 RATED, ON SUPERLAWYERS, OR JUST VERY EXPERIENCED AND A FORMER CHAIR OF SOME BANKRUPTCY SECTION OR COMMITTEE. NOTHING HERE MAY BE USED AS LEGAL ADVICE IN CONNECTION WITH ANY BANKRUPTCY, WHETHER THAT BANKRUPTCY IS IN PHOENIX, GLENDALE, TEMPE, MESA, SCOTTSDALE, OR ANYWHERE ELSE.

Full post as published by Arizona Bankruptcy Attorney Blog on February 11, 2010 (boomark / email).