WELCOME TO LAW OFFICE OF
Warning:
Warning: bankruptcy is complicated and must be treated with respect. Many people file bankruptcy on their own or using inexperienced attorneys. This can be the beginning of a nightmare. These folks lose their tax refunds, vehicles, inheritance and certain property that is important to them. Normally these problems can be avoided if a bankruptcy is planned properly.
Our reputation is built on our client’s trust that we could help them during a very difficult time. Our commitment to each client is to provide them the best guidance we can.
Here are some comments from my clients.
Because we are here for you and committed to treat you with respect. You are not just a number and a paycheck. Instead, you are a unique person with unique needs. We are dedicated to help you help yourself at a very difficult time in your life.
You may wonder why I decided to concentrate on bankruptcy as my primary area of practice. It’s simple – this is an area of law that reminds me of why I went to law school – to help others in their time of need. My goal is to be an experienced guide for my clients. Help them to traverse the crevasses between their needs, the law and the bankruptcy system. I don’t tell my clients what to do; I explain the legal and practical issues in order for them to make informed decisions.
As a law professor I share with my students how bankruptcy laws resemble magic. When a bankruptcy is filed a “magical” umbrella, called the automatic stay, protects the debtor and their property. This umbrella is so powerful that it stops almost everyone in their tracks – even the IRS. Unless a court orders otherwise a mortgage company, bill collector or creditor cannot meddle with the debtor or any property of the debtor.
“Let this be your bridge to peace. I would like to be your guide during this challenging time.”
– Diane Drain
Filing a bankruptcy is not like buying a can of Classico spaghetti sauce; instead it is like getting a new pet. Now you think I am crazy, but I have your attention. You can shop the same brand of sauce in several stores and buy the cheapest one because you are assured that the same recipe is in each jar. Use that same analogy to getting a new pet. All the puppies in the litter look similar. You have no way of knowing which one will become a biter or continually shred everything in the house or yard. A bankruptcy is like that new pet. With great advice, proper planning and a little luck the bankruptcy will go through without a hiccup. But, without all of those you will face a nightmare.
To schedule your Free Bankruptcy Consultation with Diane Drain
Shopping for bankruptcy help based on solely on price will also have in dreadful results; like losing your tax refunds. Instead, shop for bankruptcy assistance with the same commitment you used in making important decisions, such as buying a car or house. Take your time and chose an attorney who is conscientious, experienced, caring and who you have a good rapport with.
LIBRARY: Books for the bankruptcy practitioner: Argyle Publishing (I highly recommend)
National Consumer Law Center – Several Great Reference Books: student loans, general bankruptcy practice, etc.
◙ Fair Debt Collection Practices (link to article at www.azlawhelp.org)
◙ Predatory Lending – the Arizona Attorney General’s Office
◙ Consumer Protection Laws
◙ Usury – Past and Present
◙ Basic Rules Governing Debt Collectors
◙ What is a Credit Score and How to get a Copy of my Credit Reports
◙ Secret History of the Credit Card, Frontline interview with Elizabeth Warren, Prof. Harvard University, expert in bankruptcy
◙ The Credit Card Game: Frontline 12-09 (streaming video -therefore it takes time to load) As credit card companies face rising public anger, new regulation from Washington and staggering new rates of default and bankruptcy, FRONTLINE correspondent Lowell Bergman investigates the future of the massive consumer loan industry and its impact on our fragile national economy.
◙ IRS – Collection Standards (what is allowed by the IRS)
◙ Eliminating Taxes in Bankruptcy (article by Howard Levy, former trial attorney for the IRS)
◙ How to get Information from the IRS. Includes how to obtain transcripts. See article below.
WHAT IS BANKRUPTCY, BESIDES BEING REALLY SCARY?
◙ Why is Professional Help Essential in Filing a Good Bankruptcy?
◙ Why is Bankruptcy Diane Drain’s Primary Focus?
◙ Arizona Exemptions
◙ I think I have a “Simple” Bankruptcy.
◙ The Most Difficult Part of Bankruptcy Has Nothing To Do With Money
SOME BASICS
◙ Bankruptcy Basics (videos produced by the United States Bankruptcy Courts)
◙ What is Pre-Bankruptcy Planning
◙ Bankruptcy Planning: 5 Traps for the Unwary
◙ What is Involved in Filing a Bankruptcy for a Consumer?
◙ Important Deadlines and Timeline for chapter 7 and 13.
◙ How to Handle Harassing Creditors
CHAPTER 7
◙ What is a Chapter 7, plus information about the means test and exempt property.
◙ Steps to Filing Bankruptcy
◙ The Steps to Filing a Consumer Chapter 7 Bankruptcy
◙ How Do I Survive After Filing a Chapter 7?
FORECLOSURES AND BANKRUPTCY
◙ Trustee Sales (Foreclosures) and Bankruptcy
BANKRUPTCY AND RELIGION
◙ Bankruptcy: History and Religion
◙ Does God Want You to be Bankrupt?
BANKRUPTCY FOR A BUSINESS
◙ Steps to Filing a Business Chapter 7 Bankruptcy
