Jacobey & Myers Bankruptcy Law Firm Files Bankruptcy in New York City

Jacobey & Myers Bankruptcy Law Firm Files Bankruptcy in New York City

What is a consumer bankruptcy client to do when the law firm they hire actually goes bankrupt themselves? As if the process weren’t frightening enough, now we need to factor in the possibility the people we hire to represent us in a bankruptcy case might go out of business before the job is finished. In New York City the Jacobey & Myers Bankruptcy Law Firm (a merger of Jacobey & Myers LLC and Macy Bankruptcy Law PC aka Legal Helpers) was recently forced into an involuntary Chapter 7 proceeding by its creditors. A lot of their current clients are having trouble reaching them according to Facebook and the BBB, and it’s not even clear if they are still in business in New York City. It seems there could be some bankruptcy clients left hanging.

The merger of these two law firms created one very large firm that once had offices in 50 states and almost 1,000 people in the company. From the outside they would appear to be very stable so we can certainly understand why a client may have chosen this firm. Nevertheless, there were some troubling signs from the beginning that other bankruptcy clients should try to avoid when choosing a firm to represent them. Like choosing any other company, you should do your basic due diligence first before picking a bankruptcy attorney. Does the firm have a solid rating with the BBB? Are there good online reviews for the company, or are you seeing complaints in places like Facebook or YELP?

Now as for specifically choosing a bankruptcy attorney you should make sure that you always meet the attorney in person before signing up with the firm. There are some firms that will take clients over the phone, meeting them for the first time at the bankruptcy court. They may even ask for a debit card payment over the phone. This is a huge red flag. Attorneys that take clients over the phone with any type of card payment don’t usually last long. By law bankruptcy attorneys may not accept credit card payments from clients filing for bankruptcy, and if attorneys are taking card numbers over the phone it’s usually only a matter of time before they mistakenly take a credit card number thinking it is a debit card. Credit card companies sue over these types of mistakes which could put the firm and potentially your bankruptcy case at risk. Besides, any attorney offering an automatic withdrawal payment plan from your bank account sounds more like a creditor than an attorney anyway.

It is also a good idea to check to see if the law firm is registered and are in good standing with the New York State Bar Association. In most cases only attorneys licensed in New York can practice in New York, so be sure to also quickly verify this when arranging an in person consultation. If you are struggling to pay your bills and considering bankruptcy protection you need an attorney you can trust. Being left hung out to dry when you are trying to get a fresh start would be devastating to anyone. If the law firm you were working with went out of business, or if you need affordable and reputable bankruptcy assistance in New York City contact the Law Offices of William Waldner online or at 212.244.2882 to arrange a free bankruptcy consultation today. Our law firm maintains a 99% Chapter 7 Bankruptcy discharge record in New York City as of 8/31/16 and isn’t going anywhere.

**** DISCLAIMER: This article is intended for educational purposes only. By reading no attorney-client relationship has been created. Prior results do not guarantee a similar result for future clients.