Chapter 7 and 13 Bankruptcy Blog

If you have been following previous emails, Michael Misenheimer and I had to cancel the June seminars in California because no one registered for them.  We both were shocked and wanted to find out why no one was interested in attending.  The training we offered was beyond any other training offered within the industry and the popularity of previous seminars told us that we were doing everything right.  So, what was the problem?

After emailing and talking with about 15 different California bankruptcy attorneys, we were told that the Central District is so busy that attorneys do not have time to attend a seminar right now.

Our first reaction was: What can we do to help?

IDEA FOR TELEPHONE TRAINING

The first idea came from Art Hausmann, a seasoned bankruptcy attorney that attended the Los Angeles Chapter 13 seminar back in August 2009.  Art hired me to provide training to his paralegal, as the paralegal needed it.  In other words, when his paralegal is working on a bankruptcy case, if she has a question she calls or sends me an email.  I either reply to her email or call her in order to help solve the problem.  In addition to solving the issue, I also take the time to train her skills in the process.  Art’s paralegal and I will begin our training starting tomorrow (Monday.)

In the meantime, I talked with Michael about this problem.  He agreed that we should offer other attorneys the same service.  For a fee of $100 per hour, Michael or I will be available by telephone and email to answer your questions.  In fact, we will not even charge a retainer fee to get started. If you try out our service and you do not immediately see results, you owe nothing.  The training can be provided for you or any member of your legal staff.  How much better could this offer be? You have nothing to lose.

Obviously, Michael and I are only two people.  We can only provide our training services to a limited number of attorneys and we are doing this in order to assist the law firms who are in crisis mode at this time.  Please contact us (see contact information at end of this email) to discuss this training option if you are interested.

LAW OFFICE MANAGEMENT ASSISTANCE

Working in law firms, Michael and I are also aware that some law firms do not necessarily need help with petitions, but are severely disorganized due to the huge increase in the workload.

These are precisely the types of problems that Michael and I are experienced in handling because we have worked in a variety of law firms throughout our career.  Please contact us (see contact information at end of this email) so we can analyze your situation, offer a few suggestions and see what we can do to help you improve your law firm efficiency.

CHAPTER 13 PETITION ASSISTANCE

As you may already know, Chapter 13 filings are increasing because the creditors are fighting harder against Chapter 7 filings.  This has created a nitch for paralegals like Michael and me to work with attorneys in improving their Chapter 13 petitions and Plans.  We provide a wide range of services up through the confirmation stage.   And, if you are located in Colorado Springs, Colorado or Atlanta, Georgia, we can even accompany you to court if you need us.  To discuss your Chapter 13 needs, please contact us (see contact information at end of this email.)

We are here to help in any way we can, especially during this time of mortgage crisis and upside down loans.  Remember, we are both skilled in cram downs and strip downs of mortgage loans which can save your client thousands of dollars.

We hope to hear from you soon.  See contact information below.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Victoria Ring Phone: 719-465-2442 Email:  victoriaring@coloradobankruptcytraining.com

Michael Misenheimer Phone: 404-795-9013 Email: mmisenheimer@gmail.com

CONVERT MORE CLIENTS

I have been talking to several attorneys this week in regard to tools they need to help them be more productive in their law practice.  One of the major problems I kept finding was that attorneys are having difficulty converting client interviews to paying clients.  Several attorneys told me: I do 5 to 6 interviews a week but the clients never come back and retain me to do their petitions.

This is a very common problem for many attorneys; even though it sounds strange in a world where bankruptcy is the major booming field within the legal system.  So, why are some bankruptcy attorneys swamped with work and other bankruptcy attorneys are barely getting 1 or 2 clients per month?  The answer lies in the benefits you can provide to your potential clients based upon their unique circumstances.  Once you are able to evaluate their needs in an efficient manner, you will be able to know what these unique circumstances are and use this knowledge to your advantage when discussing price options with your clients.

And because every bankruptcy petition is unique and different, every client will have a unique set of circumstances they need help with.  This is why I developed the Initial Intake Form Package which is aimed at putting more money in your pocket and less time providing free consultations.  To find out more or to order, visit:

http://www.coloradobankruptcytraining.com/products_intakeform.html

UPCOMING CALIFORNIA WORKSHOP

As you may already know, I am scheduled to speak at the Bankruptcy and Marketing Seminar to be held in Atlanta, Georgia on April 23 and 24, 2010.  After I return, Michael Misenheimer and I are planning a two-day training workshop for attorneys and their personnel in Los Angeles.

Topics will include marketing, law office operations as well as training on strip downs and cram downs, which is a very popular topic in California.  In addition, I plan to present materials that will help attorneys market their law firms online.  As I told one attorney, just submitting your website to a search engine or two, is nothing.  That is why I developed the marketing links for attorneys to help them get started.  This list is free and available at:

http://coloradobankruptcytraining.com/links_marketing.html

Do you know of a meeting room we could use for the workshop?

We are currently looking for a meeting room to hold the training workshop; however, Los Angeles is so expensive.  If you have a meeting room where we could hold a two-day workshop you and your law firm employees can attend free.  Please email me if you can help us:

victoriaring1958@gmail.com

JOIN US IN ATLANTA http://www.713training.com/products/Bankruptcy-Petition-Training-Seminar.html

Due to the rapid growth of the debtor bankruptcy industry, it has become necessary to separate 713Training and 713Attorney.

From 2004 to 2010 these companies served two separate markets. 713Training provides training and support for virtual bankruptcy assistants and 713Attorney provides training and support for the debtor bankruptcy attorneys.  For the past several years, Victoria Ring has been able to manage both of them with occasional support from virtual assistants she hired to answer phones and fill orders.  But at the alarming rate the bankruptcy industry is growing, a point occurred where the companies had to be separated or both of them would suffer.

Therefore, on February 1, 2010; Clay Holland of MyBankruptcyAssistant.Com will take over the management of 713Training.  Victoria Ring will then have the ability to direct her attention solely to the training and support of debtor bankruptcy attorneys and their law firms through 713Attorney.

HOW TO STAY CONNECTED TO VICTORIA RING

1.  Visit http://www.linkedin.com/in/coloradovictoria 2.  Click:  ADD VICTORIA TO YOUR NETWORK 3.  If you are not already logged into LinkedIn you will be asked to login 4.  When prompted to type in an email address, use:  victoriaring@lawyer.com 5.  Send the email invitation

If you are already subscribed to the 713Training LinkedIn list, by all means, DO NOT UNSUBSCRIBE.  Clay Holland works as a virtual bankruptcy assistant, who is also assisting an attorney in building his law practice; therefore, Clay has a great deal of knowledge to share with the group that will be beneficial to you.

I apologize for any inconvenience this change may cause but this is the procedure that LinkedIn has in place to prevent you from being subscribed to a network for an individual you are not interested in following.

Additional changes are being made to compensate for the rapid growth of 713Training and 713Attorney.  Make sure you stay connected for updated details.

Victoria Ring, CEO http://www.713Training.Com http://www.713Attorney.Com

I am very happy to report that the Law Firm of John H Spurgeon in Pasadena, California has opened a new debtor law bankruptcy practice and will be accepting new clients soon.  Attorney John Spurgeon worked as a Certified Public Accountant for many years before graduating from the California Bar approximately 10 years ago.

Since that time, John Spurgeon has been specializing in family law.  He had been referring all bankruptcy requests out to other attorneys in the area.  However, when he found the requests were growing in number, he decided to open up a bankruptcy law practice to compliment his existing customer base.

A quick search on the American Bankruptcy Institute website at www.abiworld.org will show you the high level of increase in bankruptcy filings within the state of California.  For example: in the Second Quarter (April, May and June) of 2009 there were a total of 53,505 filings in the state of California alone.  These figures result down to almost 600 California residents PER DAY filing bankruptcy.  That is the most extreme I have ever seen in my entire 30+ year legal career.  The numbers are mind boggling and you may not understand the level of significance unless you are working in the bankruptcy field.

Due to these high numbers of filings, many homes in California are owned by banks.  Although the state of Florida is also suffering and filings are extremely high there also, the difference between the appraisal amount and the amount owed to the bank is much smaller in Florida compared to California.  For example: In California, there are many homes (priced at $100,000 in other areas of the country) originally selling for $700,000 and up.  Now that the housing market has collapsed, California home owners are finding the same property is appraised at $200,000 and they are underwater a half million or more.

In an effort to stabilize the housing problems in California, many California bankruptcy courts are putting provisions in place so that debtors may stay in their homes and this helps to prevent more criminal activity within the neighborhood as well as protecting the investment of other homeowners.  For example, did you know there are unscrupulous people who pick the locks of bank-owned homes, change the locks and rent the property to innocent victims?  If the person(s) owning the home would have stayed in it instead of moving the moment they received a foreclosure notice, this would not have happened.  It is unfortunate that people often do things that hurt them simply out of panic.

WHAT PROVISIONS IS CALIFORNIA BANKRUPTCY COURTS PUTTING IN PLACE FOR PEOPLE?

Victoria Ring is putting together a training package that will teach California attorneys how to propose strip downs of second mortgages and cram down first mortgages.  This is a new procedure that has been tested and approved by the Central District of California (the most difficult district to file a petition in).  Look for a future email announcement regarding the training package so that you can save your clients literally millions of dollars and help them get a fresh start in these hard financial times.

DO YOU KNOW OF ANYONE FACING FORECLOSURE?

One of the goals and focuses of Victoria Ring is to educate as many people as possible during these hard financial times.  If you know of anyone who has received a foreclosure notice, tell them NOT TO MOVE.  Stay in their home and keep it well maintained.  There are many opportunities for homeowners who are behind in their mortgage (and many are coming down the pike); simply because the bank would prefer to preserve their investment by having the property owner stay in the home instead of leaving and have the home subject to criminal activity.

ARE YOU AN ATTORNEY?

If you are receiving this notice and you are interested in discussing the establishment of a bankruptcy law firm for your practice, so that you can help 100s of people facing foreclosure also, feel free to call Victoria Ring at 719-659-0743.  What is the cost?  It depends on your training needs, which is why you must call for a free consultation and assessment.  Some attorneys only require training by teleconference and over the web, while others prefer that we physically come to their location.

CONTACT REFERENCE

Contact Information for John Spurgeon http://www.jsfamilylaw.com/