Chapter 7 and 13 Bankruptcy Blog

If the video does not automatically appear in the area above, click here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39Knm0X6TTs

MyBankruptcySchool.Com is the first online school developed for bankruptcy attorneys, paralegals and legal professionals to teach Chapter 7 and 13 bankruptcy petition preparation skills. This video walks you through the benefits provided to students who enroll in the online courses.

DO YOU ENJOY MY VIDEOS?

If you enjoy my short videos specifically designed for Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcy attorneys, you can subscribe to my YouTube channel at: http://www.youtube.com/user/MsVictoriaRing Click on SUBSCRIBE at the top of page

If the video does not automatically appear in the area above, click here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZKjSRJuIQU

MyBankruptcySchool.Com is the first online school developed for bankruptcy attorneys, paralegals and legal professionals to teach Chapter 7 and 13 bankruptcy petition preparation skills.   This video walks you through the benefits provided to students who enroll in the online courses.

DO YOU ENJOY MY VIDEOS?

If you enjoy my short videos specifically designed for Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcy attorneys, you can subscribe to my YouTube channel at: http://www.youtube.com/user/MsVictoriaRing Click on SUBSCRIBE at the top of page

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

A quick lesson in the Means Test, Schedule J and the Chapter 13 Plan.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FoldzGDhV3I

I was talking with an attorney this morning and I asked him why he thought only 1 person has signed up to attend our upcoming Los Angeles bankruptcy training seminars for attorneys.

Attorney Joseph said that attorneys are bombarded with so much information about training seminars that they may not be aware our seminars are different.  Here is the link to the complete seminar outline: http://www.bankruptcyattorneyseminars.com/outline.html

Therefore, Michael Misenheimer and I are going to use the June seminars, scheduled to be held in Los Angeles, as a test.  It is a financial loss for us to invest the money into airfare, hotel and other overhead expenses if only 1 or 2 people attend the seminar.  Therefore, if we do not have a minimum of 10 people signed up to attend by June 4, we will refund the money of the 2 people who have registered and try another approach.

Perhaps it would be better to offer an online training school for attorneys.  They can login at any time of the day and receive training in Chapter 7s and Chapter 13s.  If this would be the best approach for training, I would love to develop the online school.  However, in the past, attorneys preferred us to train using onsite seminars and this is what I have been doing for the past 5 years.

TRAINING OPTIONS AVAILABLE TO YOU

OPTION 1

If you would prefer to be trained Chapter 7s and 13s in a seminar setting, please register before June 4.  There is no credit card payment required to register.  But I will need a minimum of 10 registered attendees before June 4 or we will cancel the seminar.

Direct link to Registration Form: http://www.bankruptcyattorneyseminars.com/bankruptcy_seminar_order_form.pdf

OPTION 2

Would you prefer onsite training at your office instead of attending a seminar?  Michael Misenheimer and I would be willing to come to your office and train you and your staff onsite while we are in the Los Angeles area.  Please call 719-465-2442 so we can find out the exact level of training you need.

OPTION 3

If you would prefer to obtain training in Chapter 7s and 13s through an online training school or training CDs, send an email to victoriaring1958@gmail.com

The goals of Michael and me are to provide attorneys with the training they need in the format that best suits their law firm operations.  Please do not hesitate to provide us with suggestions on how we can provide that to your law firm.  We are flexible because we are a small company.  We provide old-fashioned customer service to the attorneys we work with and we look forward to working with your law firm soon.

CONTACTS:

Victoria Ring – 719-465-2442 victoriaring1958@gmail.com http://www.coloradobankruptcytraining.com

Michael Misenheimer – 404-795-9013 mmisenheimer@gmail.com http://www.bankruptcy-paralegal.com

Most attorneys are already aware that there are very few training options available for bankruptcy attorneys pertaining to Chapter 7 and 13 bankruptcy petitions. In law school, the focus is mainly on Chapter 11s and business-related filings.  Not only is consumer law often overlooked in law school, but until recently, bankruptcy was not an area of law that carried much weight or prestige.

In the past, attorneys and their staff had no option except to be trained either on the job (through the trial and error method of making mistakes) or from experienced people who had the time to train them.  However, because of the record number of Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcy petitions being filed today, bankruptcy is booming.  Therefore, the option of learning by trial and error or being taught by experienced people is an option not readily available to most law firms today. In addition, bankruptcy courts in every state spend a great deal of time finding and fixing errors caused by new and inexperienced attorneys and their personnel.  All of this combined will waste time and money which is why many courts are becoming more strict with their procedures.

But there is a very bad side to this issue also.  Some attorneys have actually been sanctioned and either paid high restitution fees or lost their license to practice law simply because the attorney and the staff were not properly trained and repeatedly filed inaccurate or fraudulent petitions.  Some of these attorneys became paralegals and continued to work inside law firms and others will get out of the profession altogether.

This problem needed fixed and it needed to be fixed fast!!

In a sincere effort to help address these problems, Victoria Ring (the developer of the virtual bankruptcy assistant industry) and Michael Misenheimer (a certified paralegal who is entering law school this Fall) have joined forces.  They have developed a dynamic training curriculum that has literally transformed business for bankruptcy attorneys nationwide.  Together, Victoria and Michael are able to provide bankruptcy attorneys with the skills they need to streamline their practice and increase profits for their law firms.

Keeping costs to a reasonable $275 per person, an attorney can easily afford to attend with their staff and everyone will gain from the knowledge that both Michael and Victoria teach.  Unlike typical seminars and workshops, Michael and Victoria take a different approach to training by making their seminars unique and unlike others you may have attended in the past.

For example:

1.  The information taught in the Bankruptcy Attorney Seminars is NOT taught in any other seminar, workshop or training program. This is because the materials have been personally compiled from many years of working in the field as well as advanced training from attorneys, judges and trustees.

2.  The Bankruptcy Attorney Seminars are causal, relaxed and interactive. In fact, attendees are encouraged to ask questions and participate in the ongoing discussion.  This type of atmosphere promotes a higher level of learning.

3.  Networking is one of the prime goals of the Bankruptcy Attorney Seminars.  In fact, in previous seminars, long-lasting business relationships have developed just from attending.  This is because the Bankruptcy Attorney Seminars place great emphasis on working together and feeding off the knowledge of everyone present. This results in an atmosphere that helps to promote maximum retention levels.

4.  All attendees receive a wealth of information in the form of handouts that they can use to take back to the law firm and immediately put to use.

Bankruptcy Attorney Seminar Overview

The Bankruptcy Attorney Seminars are structured to cover TWO days (Friday and Saturday.)  Attorneys and their staff may attend either day or both days and save $100.  A single day registration is only $275 per person with discounts when two or more are attending from the same law firm.

Day 1 of the Seminar (Friday)

* Bankruptcy petition preparation skills and tips to make your job faster * Demonstrations of how to propose mortgage cram downs and strip downs * Tips for improving your Chapter 13 Plan preparation skills * Techniques to help you reduce deficiency notices after the bankruptcy petition is filed * How to work better with creditors as well as how to better protect the debtor

Day 2 of the Seminar (Saturday)

* Client intake interview tips to help reveal information that could make or break a case * Procedural and operational techniques to maximize office efficiency * Methods for turning free consultations into paying clients * Easy to understand web page development suggestions * Marketing your law firm via the internet and social networking

To find out more about these seminars, visit http://www.bankruptcyattorneyseminars.com

I just returned from the Bankruptcy Training and Marketing Seminar, held at the Best Western Airport East Hotel in Hapeville, Georgia; a suburb of Atlanta.  Eight people (including two attorneys) attended the Marketing Seminar portion on April 23 and Nineteen people (including five attorneys) attended the Training Seminar portion on April 24.

April 23 – Marketing Portion

Due to the small number in attendance, the eight people received more hands-on training compared to larger seminars we have had in the past.  In fact, I personally prefer working with a smaller group when I teach marketing because I can individually address specific concerns and give precise direction so that the attendee can go home and put ideas into action immediately.

One of the main points I always make in my marketing seminars is to teach people to wake up every morning and say: What can I do to make money today?  Instead, many people begin their virtual business day with negative comments, like:  I do not feel confident. I am afraid to advertise. It is too soon for me to make a website, etc.  I found out a long time ago that the ONLY way to be successful is to think thoughts that will make you successful.  If you begin each day by asking yourself, What can I do to make money today? … you will find that you begin looking for ways to make money.  This line of thinking will make you successful.  The other line of thinking will make you unsuccessful.

Clay Holland also spoke at the Marketing portion of the seminar.  He explained, step-by-step, everything he did to become a successful virtual bankruptcy assistant.  Clay is excellent at relating to other virtual bankruptcy assistants (VBA) because he had absolutely no prior legal experience before he became a VBA.  I, on the other hand, was trained in the law firms and received my training from attorneys, judges and trustees.  This is why Clay can relate much better to the VBAs and he is doing a tremendous job managing 713Training.

At the Marketing seminar, two attorneys flew in from Chicago, Illinois. These attorneys had been very successful at building their law firm in a market saturated by bankruptcy attorneys.  They contributed a great deal to the marketing round table discussion and everyone learned from their knowledge also.  This is one reason I always try to conduct the training seminars in an informal type of format.

Throughout my legal career, meetings became second nature for me.  Some meetings would be boring because only one person would talk.  I do not care how interesting a person is; if one person does all the talking and does not interact with their audience, anything they say becomes boring after awhile.  This is why I pattern all my seminars on interaction.  The result provides attendees with a much better understanding and comprehension versus a long, boring lecture.

April 24 – Bankruptcy

Nineteen people were in attendance for the Bankruptcy portion of the seminar, including five attorneys.  We began the day by having everyone introduce themselves and briefly describe their knowledge of Chapter 7s.  Because I customize every seminar to the needs of the audience, this feedback allows me to address specific topics that will provide the best level of training for those in attendance.  Since everyone in the group already had a basic knowledge of Chapter 7s, I was able to immediately move into training the overall conversion from a Chapter 7 to a Chapter 13 as well as cover cram down and strip down training.

Michael Misenheimer spoke for a few minutes about how the foreclosure process works.  Then he opened the floor for questions.  Pamela Starr provided an insight into the corporate side of her own personal experience and Michael opened the floor for questions and addressed specific issues relating to debtor and creditor bankruptcy; which he has a vast amount of experience in.

Summary

We would love to meet you at a future Bankruptcy Training Seminar. For more information and to view the calendar of upcoming events, visit: http://www.bankruptcyattorneyseminars.com

The first TWO bankruptcy attorney seminars has been scheduled. I just launched a new website which you can review and register for these seminars at:

http://www.bankruptcyattorneyseminars.com/ Thank you for your continued support and faith in my training services. I strive to continue working to provide the much needed education to debtor bankruptcy attorneys nationwide.  I hope to see you at an upcoming seminar.

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

As you may be aware, cosigners and codebtors are people (or companies) who are obligated to pay a debt if the client does not pay it.  Therefore, when a client decides to file bankruptcy and that client owes a debt where a cosigner or codebtor is involved, it could potentially cause a major problem to develop.

This is why it is extremely important to obtain precise information about any cosigners or codebtors the client(s) have that are associated with their debts.  And to be certain you (or your attorneys) protects the client(s) in the best way possible, the attorney may need to review the contract that was signed regarding this debt.  You will need to find out:

1.   Was the debt secure or unsecure? 2.   Were the client(s) the primary or secondary client(s) on the contract? 3.   Were any items used for collateral no longer in the possession of the client(s), or that the client(s) are surrendering in the bankruptcy?

After obtaining the answers to each one of these questions the attorney will need to find out if this client qualifies for a Chapter 7 or Chapter 13.  Both Chapters treat debts somewhat differently but you need to verify the facts before the attorney can advise the client(s) properly.

Let me give you an example:  An attorney discussed a case with me that he was working on.  A lady had stopped by the office to ask about a debt she cosigned on a $27,000 credit card with her nephew.  The nephew was filing bankruptcy and he wanted to know how this would affect his aunt who was not filing.

If the nephew files a Chapter 13 and has enough income to pay back his unsecure creditors 100%, this issue could possibly be uneventful.  The debt could be paid in full through the Chapter 13 Plan which is filed with the bankruptcy petition.

However, a problem could occur if the nephew does not have enough money left over to pay the unsecured creditors 100%.  He may only have enough income to propose a 50% Chapter 13 Plan. What will happen to the remaining 50% that will not be paid through the bankruptcy?

One of the more interesting features of Chapter 13 law is something called the COCLIENT(S) STAY.  Set out in Section 1301(a) of the Bankruptcy Code, the CoClient(s) Stay disallows collection action on consumer debt against co-client(s) or the person filing for bankruptcy.

A TYPICAL SCENARIO

A client files a Chapter 13 bankruptcy and includes a debt owed to TV Centers of America for a new television.  The clients mother cosigned the loan for her son.  The clients Chapter 13 protects the mother from collection efforts for as long as the client remains in the Chapter 13 and continues making the payment to the trustee.

However, the obligation of the coclient(s) do not disappear.  If the client repays a consumer debt at 30 cents on the dollar in the Chapter 13, the clients cosigner will be liable for the remaining 70% after the bankruptcy case is discharged.   But, during the time the client(s) are in a Chapter 13, the coclient is protected.   Often in these cases, client(s) will establish special payment CLASSES in their Chapter 13 Plan to pay co-signed debts in full to protect the co-client(s).   In other situations; such as when the cosigner is an exspouse, the co-client(s) may be left exposed.

WOULD YOU LIKE MORE INFORMATION LIKE THIS?

Information like the article above are extremely valuable for attorneys and non-attorneys working in Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 debtor bankruptcy law.  To obtain your 75 page Operations Manual and Initial Intake Forms, visit:

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