 TITLE: Should You Hire a Bankruptcy Attorney? CONTENT: What Does a Bankruptcy Attorney Do?\n-----------------------------------\nA bankruptcy attorney can help you size up your financial circumstances, including the types and amounts of the debts that are overwhelming you, and advise you about whether it's wise to pursue bankruptcy at all. If bankruptcy is your best option, your attorney can help you decide if you should file it under Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 of the federal bankruptcy law. A Chapter 7 bankruptcy, also known as a liquidation bankruptcy, erases most debts but requires forfeiture of all but a small amount of assets. A Chapter 13 bankruptcy establishes a plan for making partial repayment to your creditors, and can allow you to keep certain assets, such as a home or car.\nOnce you decide which bankruptcy procedure to pursue, your attorney will guide you through the steps involved, including:\n*   Submitting a list of creditors to the court and scheduling court appearances.\n*   Directing you on where and how to complete a required pre-bankruptcy credit counseling session and a post-bankruptcy debt management course.\n*   Submitting required fees when filing documents with the court.\nIt's possible for you to do some or all of these things yourself, but these steps will likely go more smoothly if they're done on your behalf by an attorney familiar with deadlines, procedures and other formalities of the court. END