Does your attorney know the trustee?

Orlando bankruptcy attorney and chapter 7 trustee, Lori Patton, wrote an excellent article a few months back on questions debtors should ask their bankruptcy attorney at the initial consultation. One of the questions Lori recommends asking a bankruptcy attorney is whether they are on a first name basis with the bankruptcy trustee. Why is this important? The bankruptcy bar in most jurisdictions tends to be made up of a small group of attorneys who practice primarily in the area of bankruptcy. They all get to know each other. They have their own special court house and their own special Judge. They all talk to each other. Many of the bankruptcy trustees are former bankruptcy attorneys or bankruptcy attorneys who double as trustees. You get the idea.

It is the job of the bankruptcy trustee to oversee the cases which they are assigned. When you file for chapter 7 bankruptcy, your case will be assigned to a trustee who will preside over your creditors meeting. If the trustee sees something in your filing that raises an eyebrow or if he would like to review additional documents, he’ll likely ask for that information through your bankruptcy attorney. While most consumer bankruptcy cases go relatively smoothly, if there is an issue that arises, you’re going to want to have an attorney on your side who knows the system and the people in it.