Final lawyer bill, ouch!

[Miknan]

You pay thousands of dollars you'd think you could ask a few questions along the way or it would include some o the correspondence with him. I posted earlier I was discharged after I saw it on Pacer but I also received my lawyers final bill, $1300. What a crock. I owned some land the trustee was going to leave alone but was going after my house all per my lawyer. Now his final letter never mentioned the house but said our case with him is closed "although there may be some additional work to do assisting the trustee with the sale of the land up north". Huh? Now I'm going to have to contact him again at $220/hr for some kind of clarification. I'm sick of paying him that much for something that took 2 mins but I pay for 40 mins. This is all is too complicated for me to do it by myself but I feel charging this is such a ripoff. In an actual hour of work he probably charges 10 people for that same hour making his salary actually $2200 per hour.

[LadyInTheRed]

The attorney should not charge you to clarify his bill. Was his bill itemized so you can see what he did for the $1300? How much did you pay before? It sounds like your case took more than preparing the petition and appearing at the 341, which is all the initial fee usually covers. Remember, when you ask an attorney a question, he spends more time than the time on the phone. He has to review your file to make sure he answers your question accurately and he has to add a note to your file regarding the conversation. Even if he answers your question during the same call in which it is asked, he should go to your file to make sure there is no detail he needs to consider. With the trustee pursuing assets, it sounds like your attorney had to do more than answer a few questions.

Attorneys are expensive and $220 an hour is actually a pretty low rate. Getting a legal bill can be a shock. I'm sorry this was more expensive than you expected. But, that doesn't mean your attorney is ripping you off. If you think you are being overcharged, call him and discuss the bill with him, without accusation. If you have legitimate concerns with the bill, he may be willing to reduce it.

[mountanddo]

In another post it was stated that your BK attorney usually represents you until confirmation. The question that I have is if you have any change in your circumstances and have to alert your attorney do they then charge you extra for that? I've read many people post "ask your attorney" or "make sure you alert your attorney". Are all these questions and alerts "extra" or are normal changes you have to report included? My Chapter 13 attorney fees are in my plan so I won't even be done paying her until it is discharged. Should I expect additional fees if I have to let her know I moved or things like that?

Also, what happens if your attorney leaves the firm that is representing you. Are you assigned another attorney then? I can't imagine that attorney's stay with the same firm for life.

[jange]

In another post it was stated that your BK attorney usually represents you until confirmation. The question that I have is if you have any change in your circumstances and have to alert your attorney do they then charge you extra for that? I've read many people post "ask your attorney" or "make sure you alert your attorney". Are all these questions and alerts "extra" or are normal changes you have to report included? My Chapter 13 attorney fees are in my plan so I won't even be done paying her until it is discharged. Should I expect additional fees if I have to let her know I moved or things like that?

Also, what happens if your attorney leaves the firm that is representing you. Are you assigned another attorney then? I can't imagine that attorney's stay with the same firm for life.

What does your agreement say? Attorneys will charge for any additional work. Most attorneys will put that additional charge into the plan, assuming you have enough room in your plan to pay the additional charges. Otherwise I would think you would pay up front for any additional work.

[Miknan]

Mountando, they charge for absolutely everything. I did receive itemized bills from time to time and it was very confusing since I paid him in full and he would incrementally deduct. Still, I knew what I signed up for but asking even a simple question will cost you at least 20 mins. In my final letter I don't need clarification on the bill but he told me my land as an asset was safe and now he's telling me the trustee is going to sell it. I don't want to pay another $80 just to ask him what the heck is going on. It cost so much you really are better off not asking anything unless it's very, very important. Asking stuff like "why is it taking so long for my discharge" is like burning money.

[HHM]

I hate to say it, but this is not your attorney's fault, but yours. You made the choice to hire this particular attorney and as you state, you knew what you signed. I am guessing you didn't need to pay very much up front (i.e. cheap to get started) and now you are feeling the brunt of what happens when you do not really consider your options. Most attorneys charge flat fees that cover most things that happen in BK (now, granted, most won't cover a post filing contested matter, e.g. the issue with the land) without additional fees, but answer routine questions is generally part of the process.

[Miknan]

Lady in Red, I don't really think he is ripping me off but you'd think part of the $2500 (?, my wife says $2k I thought $3k) would give you the right to ask a couple questions. Most the stuff I or my wife asked was more general BK questions than real tough ones. It sure adds up fast. I'm in the medical field, I wish I could charge for all the questions I get before or after I give them their test.

[Miknan]

HHM, when you say "routine questions is generally part of the process", do you mean part of the initial fee or ones you would charge extra for? I certainly paid extra for each and every question.

[lillymarlene]

In another post it was stated that your BK attorney usually represents you until confirmation. The question that I have is if you have any change in your circumstances and have to alert your attorney do they then charge you extra for that? I've read many people post "ask your attorney" or "make sure you alert your attorney". Are all these questions and alerts "extra" or are normal changes you have to report included? My Chapter 13 attorney fees are in my plan so I won't even be done paying her until it is discharged. Should I expect additional fees if I have to let her know I moved or things like that?

Also, what happens if your attorney leaves the firm that is representing you. Are you assigned another attorney then? I can't imagine that attorney's stay with the same firm for life.

Other people's situation may be a little different, but I think you are expected to stay with your attorney for the life of your plan. At one of our last meetings, my attorney gave me a list of different services I may need, with prices. It was also stated in our agreement, if my income changes, my contact info changes, etc., to keep him in the loop. I've also had to ask him a couple of small questions after confirmation, but I wasn't charged for them. It seems easiest to communicate with him by e-mail, and he even states on his web site that it is O.K. for present clients to ask him questions this way.

Not that it should make any difference, I paid about $2,000 upfront and another $2,000 was included in my plan. Then comparing to a lot of posts I've read here and the stories I've heard elsewhere, I think he was definitely worth it.