How to Choose the Right Debt Settlement Attorney for Debt Settlement?

August 29 2011 by admin in A Free Attorney Consultation, attorney, General Information, Good Information, Smart Advice |No Comments

Are you exhausted of repeated collection calls, little sleep, and swelling debt burden that are turning your life into hell? Keeping in mind the present economy, this is the perfect time to approach your creditors with a debt settlement offer. If you do not want to take on unnecessary stress, you can hire a debt settlement attorney to take over your debt settlement. A debt settlement attorney is specialized to help you understand the debt settlement laws, and can further settle your unsecured debt for less.
What is Unsecured Debt?

First, what kind of debt is eligible for a settlement? An unsecured debt simply refers to any type of debt or general obligation that is not collateralized by a lien on specific assets of the borrower. Most credit card debt, personal loans, and medical bills are typical unsecured loans. You can easily settle these types of debts for less than you actually owe.
Some obligations like mortgage, car loans, student loans, alimony, and tax debt are not treated as unsecured debt. You can somehow negotiate these debts, but cannot through a debt settlement.
The Next Step of Debt Settlement

If you meet the required guidelines and become eligible for a debt settlement, your debt settlement attorney will work with you to figure out the best possible way to settle your debt. Initially, your attorney will contact your creditors, and try to negotiate reduced interest rates, debt forgiveness, or other payment plans. Keep in mind that the ultimate goal is to reduce your overall payment burden up to 60%, and provide you with some space o make your payments with utmost ease.
Keep in mind that a debt settlement may negatively affect your credit history; however, it is always a better option than completely giving up and declare bankruptcy, which would absolutely ruin your credit score.
When there is no hope to improve your financial crisis with the help of credit counseling, debt settlement is the best option. The little amount that you have to pay toward attorney fees is truly worthy chopping your unsecured debt in half and getting your finances under control. Hire a legitimate debt settlement attorney and become free from all your financial hardships.

Written by Amy Lewis

 

Have you been injured in a collision or accident?

July 21 2010 by admin in A Free Attorney Consultation, attorney, General Information, Good Information |No Comments

If you’ve been in an accident or have experienced any other type of injury such as a dog bite, a fall or a collision, our partner law firms can help.  Our teams of experienced legal professionals understand that in life, accidents happen.  When they do, our job is not only to protect you (our client) in the event someone should not accept responsibility for their actions,  but also to limit damages and help you recover.

Get the results you’re looking for with our partner law firms.  Our attorneys are in court daily fighting for our clients who have been in accidents and now need legal assistance.  We are a team of experienced professionals who will not take the easy way out to settle your case or shy away from going to trial when necessary.  We have a network of doctors who can help you recover quickly.  We also work closely with insurance companies, so we understand how to get them to fix or pay for damages.

Fill out the online form so we can present your case and get the largest recovery you are entitled to under the law.

We specialize in all types of Personal Injury matters, including:

  • Auto and Motorcycle Accidents
  • Animal bites
  • Broken bones
  • Carpel Tunnel
  • Governments claims
  • Head injuries
  • Medical claims and damages
  • Whiplash
  • Mistake made in surgery

We handle all types of cases where you are injured.

  • Get your car repaired or replaced, FREE of charge.
  • See a doctor who will work on your case and charge no payment until your case is resolved.

We are a tough team of Litigators, and if anyone is not treating you fairly, we will take your case to Trial and let a court system inform your adversaries they need to pay for your damages.


July 16 2010 by admin in A Free Attorney Consultation, attorney, General Information, Good Information, Smart Advice |1 Comment

Ignorance of the law is no excuse, and neither is ignorance of lawyers.

If you hire an attorney to help you with a business or personal matter, and end up having a bad experience, you really have no one to blame but yourself.

But, you ask, how can someone with no legal expertise possibly know whether a lawyer is honest and trustworthy, let alone competent?

To be certain of hiring a lawyer who is honest, competent and, just as important, right for you, ask these five key questions:

1. Will I have control over my legal affairs? If an attorney doesn’t agree that you should be in the driver’s seat, look for someone else, says Suzanne Mishkin, with HALT, a Washington, D.C.-based legal watchdog group.What she means is that the client, with the lawyer’s assistance, should plot the course of the legal work being done, and not simply be along for a potentially expensive ride. Moreover, she says, this lawyer-client relationship should be stated explicitly and in writing.It’s also appropriate to ask the attorney to provide a basic timeline spelling out what he plans to do and when he plans to do it. You should also demand to receive regular updates on the work being done.Finally, says Mishkin, seek assurances that your phone calls will be returned promptly and that your main point of contact will be the attorney and not a paralegal.

2. What will this cost me? The retainer agreement and the billing schedule, including the precise nature of what you’ll be paying for, should be made clear at the outset. Don’t even consider an attorney who won’t provide cost details, and don’t make assumptions that aren’t based on specific information.Adrienne “Andy” Kotner, president of the San Diego chapter of Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse, another watchdog organization, says too often clients find themselves on the hook for hidden costs they knew nothing about. For example, she says, of the 150 personal injury attorneys who advertise in the San Diego phone book, only three disclose that their services will entail costs over and above the contingency fee.”A very frank discussion about fees is very important,” Kotner says.Also, Kotner and Mishkin say, fee and billing schedules aren’t set in stone. So if you think the price is too high, or that you’ll need more time to pay the bill, try negotiating with the attorney.One cost you shouldn’t have to pay is for an initial consultation. Those generally are free, though some attorneys will charge a fraction of their hourly billing rate. Don’t even consider a lawyer who wants to charge you his full rate.

3. Am I comfortable with the lawyer’s style? No, this is not about the clothes the lawyer wears, or whether he or she would have looked at home on the set of “L.A. Law.” Far more critical than appearance are the level of aggressiveness and the ability to communicate clearly.Kotner recommends avoiding lawyers who are too overtly self-promoting — never hire anyone who solicits your business, she says — or who are litigation-happy. Though the temptation may be to hire a “mad dog,” especially if the issue is a contentious one, that probably won’t turn out to be the best approach.”It’s good to have a lawyer who wants to discourage you from filing a lawsuit,” and who regards litigation only as last resort after mediation and arbitration have failed to resolve a dispute, she says.Mishkin stresses the importance of finding someone who not only will communicate with you regularly, but whom you can understand. “A lot of attorneys are so used to technical language they use it with clients who don’t understand it,” she says. “I like to see a lawyer using simple, plain language with the client.”Ultimately, whatever style test you apply, the best guide may be your instincts. Attorneys are, after all, people, and there are some people you’re more comfortable with than others. Don’t be afraid to go with your gut.

4. Is the lawyer’s expertise and experience compatible with my needs? You can find someone who is honest and competent and whose style appeals to you — but that doesn’t mean you’ve found the right lawyer. You also need to determine that they’re experts in the area of law most applicable to you or your business.During your initial consultation, ask the attorney to enumerate some of the cases he has handled that are similar to your situation. And don’t hesitate to ask for the names of other clients and for their contact information.Any lawyer who refuses to let you talk with past clients has just raised a red flag, Kotner says. Look elsewhere.State bar associations are the best place to get referrals for attorneys who specialize in a particular area of practice, Mishkin says. She is wary of for-profit referral services because it’s never quite clear whose best interests are in the forefront.Several Internet resources may help in narrowing your search.The American Bar Association also offers extensive resources at FindLegalHelp.org. The National Federation of Independent Business (www.nfib.org) also devotes considerable attention to the issue with its online Legal Foundation (on the NFIB home page, click on “About NFIB,” then scroll down to “NFIB’s Foundations” to find it). Among other information on the NFIB site, is a list of helpful tips for hiring a lawyer, put together in association with the Citizens against Lawsuit Abuse.The Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory (www.lawyers.com) also is worth a look. In addition to categorizing attorneys by area specialty, it also indicates those who excelled in law school.

5. What if I’m unhappy with the service I receive? HALT’s Mishkin says that one of the first things reputable attorneys do is tell prospective clients about the state’s legal disciplinary system. “It is something every honest attorney will admit off the bat,” she says. “It tells the client, ‘If you’re not happy with me, here’s what you do.’”If the lawyer doesn’t bring it up, you should feel free to do so.And once you’ve narrowed down the field of prospects, it’s not a bad idea to contact the state agency to find out whether complaints have been filed against a particular attorney and, if so, what the outcome was. All but four states maintain legal disciplinary offices, the exceptions being Alaska, Alabama, Pennsylvania and Delaware. Many of the agencies maintain an Internet presence, Mishkin says, with Florida and Massachusetts having two of the best sites.

There you have it, a simple process to follow before you hire an attorney. Bottom line: You don’t have to be a lawyer to find a good one.

If you would like a free financial/debt evaluation, go to http://www.freeattorneyconsultation.info or call us directly at 866-868-2160.

Solutions to Financial Issues

July 7 2010 by admin in A Free Attorney Consultation, attorney, General Information, Good Information, Smart Advice |No Comments

Why use a Law Firm, and more specifically, our partner law firms, to negotiate for you in this regard?

Although the process of resolving debt is commonplace today (commonly known as “Debt Settlement”), very few law firms specialize in this area of the law.  Conversely, there are hundreds of what are referred to as “third-party,” non-attorney based settlement firms advertising for your business.  Many have advertisements on the radio and television, which you may have heard offering their services… However, if you carefully listen to the spoken disclaimers or see the fine-print on their television advertisements, you will discover that their services are not offered in all fifty states.

Why?

Because as of today, 34 state Attorney Generals do not allow an unbonded or uninsured “third-party,” non-attorney based settlement firm or Consumer Credit Counseling firm, to conduct business in their state with their citizens.  This is an expensive process, and most firms are without a provable bond or performance surety.  In South Carolina, the Attorney General of that state will only allow a licensed attorney to act in this capacity.

That should lead you to ask, “Why?”  What do the chief law enforcement officers of these states know that you do not? And why do they restrict “third-party,” non-attorney based firms from doing business with the citizens of their state without a performance bond or surety insurance in place?

Should you speak to one of these firms and they cannot show such a bond or surety, as most cannot, you should consider that to be an immediate “flashing red light” right off the bat urging you to be cautious.

These Attorney Generals understand that the overall majority of these firms ARE NOT attorney-based, and because of that, they cannot legally represent you.  When you speak to these firms, many of them will seek to offset your fears that they lack this critical distinction by employing talking points in an effort to “soft soap” the fact that they are not attorneys.

Oftentimes, they will say that they “have attorneys that work for them,” or say, “We will take care of that for you.”  Words to this effect are disingenuous, and you must take caution.  If you do not sign a “Retainer Agreement” with them, then they are not attorneys, so they CANNOT represent you in any legal matter that may come up, as they sometimes do.

Using a non-attorney based, “third-party” firm to negotiate with you creditors gives you absolutely no protection under the 1996 Fair Debt Collections Practices Act.  Using such companies is akin to having Helen Keller teach you how to drive.  Everyone has the best intentions when they start off, but eventually you will probably find yourself heading at a high speed into a brick wall.

This is why you should always retain a Law Firm to stand between those with their hands out for your money and your current limited resources.

Using an attorney gives you specified and favorable protections under the law, specifically the 1996 Fair Debt Collections Practices Act.

Areas of Specialty: Thomassen Law Group

July 7 2010 by admin in A Free Attorney Consultation, attorney, General Information, Good Information, Smart Advice |No Comments

Free Consultations: Important for Bankruptcy Cases

July 3 2010 by admin in A Free Attorney Consultation, attorney, General Information, Good Information, Smart Advice |No Comments

By: LawInfo

If you are looking to hire a bankruptcy attorney then you have likely seen multiple ads that all claim to provide prospective clients with free legal consultations. However, the word consultation means different things to different attorneys and it is, therefore, important to understand what your free bankruptcy consultation will be before you agree to it.

Why is a Free Bankruptcy Consultation Important?

You should think of an initial consultation with a bankruptcy attorney as a job interview with you being the employer. You will, after all, be paying the attorney for a service and you, therefore, have the right to find out if you are comfortable with the attorney and if the attorney has the skills and expertise to get you the best possible outcome in your bankruptcy proceedings.

Many attorneys understand that they are providing you with a service and, accordingly, will not charge you for the initial meeting. This is not only to your benefit but to the attorney’s benefit as well. The attorney needs to conduct an initial case evaluation in order to determine if he or she is qualified to help you and to determine if it is a job that he or she wants.

What Questions Should I Ask If An Attorney Offers a Free Consultation?

While many attorneys realize the importance of providing an initial bankruptcy consultation free of charge, every attorney defines that initial consultation in a different way. There are some questions that you should consider asking any attorney, who is offering a free consultation, including:

* How Long Is the Free Consultation? Attorney consultations can vary widely in duration. Some attorneys offer free 1 hour consultations and charge for any time over 1 hour. Other attorneys do not put a specific time limit on the consultation session.

* Where is the Free Consultation? In an effort to keep consultations short and time efficient, some attorneys will only conduct free consultations over the phone or internet. Some clients and some attorneys prefer face to face meetings, however.

* If I Don’t Retain You, What Happens? The lawyer should be aware that professional responsibility rules in most states limit what the lawyer can do with the knowledge obtained from a prospective client during a consultation meeting.

* Should I Bring Anything to Our First Meeting? Similarly, would you like anything to review prior to our first meeting? These questions will allow you to come to the meeting prepared to answer the attorney’s questions.

A Free Consult Can Be a Good Start

When an attorney, or his or her office staff, answers your questions about a free bankruptcy consultation, it is important to take note of all of the answers. The way in which the attorney handles your questions and free consultations can be indicative of how the attorney will handle your entire case.

Most clients are looking for an attorney with whom they feel comfortable, and who they trust to do the best job possible in handling their bankruptcy. While this in no way means that an attorney is obligated to give prospective clients free consultations that go on for extraordinary lengths of time, it also means that prospective clients should not full rushed during a free consultation. Rather, each free consultation should be a productive meeting where the attorney and client have a chance to honestly get to know one another and to decide if the attorney is a good match for that particular client.


Free Evaluation

July 2 2010 by admin in attorney |4 Comments

If you would like a free financial/debt evaluation, go to http://www.freeattorneyconsultation.info or call us directly at 866-868-2160