A virtual bankruptcy lawyer can communicate with you through emails and by the phone, and send any necessary documents for you to read or sign through email, fax, or regular mail. There are so many options with today’s technology that anything you and your bankruptcy lawyer need to do with each other, you don’t ever have to meet face to face to do it.

Because virtual lawyers don’t have the expensive corporate offices and fancy conference rooms that traditional law firms do, they are able to keep their overhead costs and expenses at an all-time low. Because of this, they can offer their clients the same expertise, professionalism and skill that any other lawyer can but at a much reduced price – something especially important when you’re filing for bankruptcy.

So can a virtual bankruptcy lawyer help you file for bankruptcy, and will they be an effective lawyer? Yes! There’s no reason to think that just because your lawyer is working out of their home office rather than their corner office that they’re any less capable of handling your bankruptcy case than any other lawyer.

​But, it’s also important that you research any virtual bankruptcy lawyer as extensively as you’re researching other lawyers you may be considering. Because just like with any other lawyer, a virtual bankruptcy lawyer may be who’s right for you, but that’s not necessarily the case.

Of course, virtual bankruptcy lawyers can be found virtually – online. But what if you want to speak to other lawyers as well? (And you really should!) Where do you start looking for a good bankruptcy lawyer? We say... you've already found one! 

Both cases may be true, it depends on your situation before you file, what kind of bankruptcy you file, and how you handle your finances after your claim.

Whether or not bankruptcy actually solves all your problems, it’s a very serious thing, and something that should not be entered into lightly. While there are some advantages to claiming bankruptcy, there are also many disadvantages and if you do it at the wrong time, or in the wrong way, it could be even more serious.

Before you consider filing for bankruptcy, it’s extremely important that you examine all of your alternatives carefully, and that you choose the right person to help you file. This will be your bankruptcy lawyer.

A good bankruptcy lawyer will make sure that your bankruptcy claim is filed and handled in a timely manner and that the agreed upon terms after you file will serve your best interest. But there are a lot of bankruptcy lawyers out there, and some are definitely better than others for your particular situation.

So how do you go about choosing a bankruptcy lawyer, or even filing for bankruptcy in the first place? You start by fully understanding what bankruptcy is and how it will affect you, what your alternatives are, and a lot of research on different bankruptcy lawyers that can help you with all of the above! Check out our blog about What happens when you file for Bankruptcy!

CFPB filed suit against Freedom Debt Relief, LLC (“Freedom”)
 
On November 8, 2017, the CFPB filed suit against Freedom Debt Relief, LLC (“Freedom”) and Andrew Housser, the co-founder and co-CEO of Freedom. Freedom works with consumers and negotiates with consumers’ creditors to persuade these Creditors to accept less than what is actually owed. When a debt settles, Freedom charges the consumer between 18 and 25 percent of the amount of debt owed when Freedom’s services were solicited.

According to the CFPB, Freedom misled and deceived consumers by telling them that all creditors would negotiate with Freedom, when in reality, many creditors refuse to negotiate with debt settlement companies. In these situations, Freedom “coached” consumers instead of dealing with creditors directly, yet Freedom did not make clear that consumers may need to handle some negotiations themselves. Freedom also deceived by charging its fee to the consumer, even when a creditor simply stopped collections without a settlement, or when consumers negotiated their own settlements. Finally, Freedom also failed to clearly disclose consumers’ rights to their own account funds after they withdrew from Freedom’s program.

 As for Andrew Housser, the CFPB alleges that Housser had the authority and responsibility to approve Freedom’s policies and practices, yet he allowed these illegal practices to continue. Thus, the CFPB alleges that Housser has violated the Dodd-Frank Act and the Telemarketing Sales Rule. 
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To read the Complaint in full, visit http://files.consumerfinance.gov/f/documents/ cfpb_freedomdebt-relief-llc_complaint_112017.pdf