Berkeley Parents Network: Bankruptcy Lawyers

Berkeley Parents Network

Bankruptcy Lawyers

Berkeley Parents Network > Reviews > Legal & Financial Services > Bankruptcy Lawyers

Looking for a Bankruptcy lawyer in the Berkeley/Oakland
See also: Advice about Declaring bankruptcy

Looking for a Bankruptcy lawyer in the Berkeley/Oakland

November 1999

I am looking for a Bankruptcy lawyer in the Berkeley/Oakland area. I hate to do this, but I have no choice being a single parent with a deadbeat ex-husband (unemployed and now into drugs). How expensive is this service?? And what am I to expect afterwards??

Before pursuing backruptcy talk to Consumer Credit Counselors of the East Bay. They will professionally assess your situtaion and give you excellent advice about your alternatives. Their phone number is (510) 729-6966. They have offices in Oakland and Berkeley.

If you're a UC employee sign up for Legal care during this open enrollment period! The deadline is November 21st I think. The cost of bankruptcy is quite small with the legal insurance and the premium is affordable. They have a list of lawyers. Bankruptcy was the best thing we could have done at the time we filed, just becoming solvent again. What a relief. It's a challenge to rebuild your credit afterwards and takes a long time, but if your housing is fairly secure, and you're not planning on buying a new house or new model car in the next 10 years, it can be accomplished. Nolo Press in West Berkeley has good self help books in both bankruptcy and in rebuilding your credit after bankruptcy. Their publication will actually guide you through a do-it-yourself bankruptcy (if you are not eligible for the UC legal insurance plan). You could meet with a lawyer for a one time appointment to go over your paperwork before actually filing, to see if you've put it together correctly. The Nolo Press book also helps you look at your situation to see if there is another option that you can pursue short of bankruptcy. They have some good suggestions for consolidating or negotiating; organizations that will counsel you, etc. The legal insurance can help here too so you can have a lawyer communicate (usually by letter) with a difficult and aggressive creditor. Good luck!

I can recommend Max Cline as both a friend and because I have heard positive feedback about his professional work. He has a website with information: http://www.maxcline.com/ His email is: Max at maxcline.com Phone is:510-464-8068 Address: 1300 Clay St., Oakland

Although I do not have a recommendation for a bankruptcy lawyer in the Oakland/Berkeley area, I would suggest that you can ask for a referral from the Alameda County Bar Association (510) 893-8683. If you qualify, you may be able to get a referral to an attorney who will provide representation at a discounted rate. An attorney (not incl. any discount) should be able to give you a flat fee of around $500.

A good, but inexpensive, bankruptcy lawyer is Patrick L. Forte in Oakland at the Kaiser Center. He also has an office in Hilltop - Richmond.

Feb 1998

In reply to the person whose sister is thinking about filing bankruptcy: Nolo Press has a book called How to File for Bankruptcy, and for $27.00 you get EXCELLENT, humane, supportive advice as well as all the forms to do it yourself. It's a tad time-consuming, but unless you have huge holdings, assets, real estate, furs, jewelry, etc. it's a cheap and easy way to go. I also saw an attorney advertising in the Express yesterday as a bankruptcy specialist. Good luck and whatever you do, tell her not to beat herself up. The banks set this up and are comfortably poised to weather it. Mai

In response to the request for a bankruptcy lawyer. I know of a good one located in Oakland at One Kaiser Plaza. His name is Patrick Forte and his phone number is (510) 465-3328.

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