In the context of bankruptcy, even a simple case may be full of pitfalls and having a professional paralegal on your side can be greatly beneficial. Bankruptcy paralegals therefore have major tasks of preparing several documents, conducting research culminating in the necessary preparations of every process conforming with the legal procedures in the court. Yet, determining whom amongst the applicants is your ideal choice for a paralegal is not as simple as flipping through a résumé—more questions have to be asked. In this post at GSB LPO Services, we have enumerated the five important queries you should answer when seeking bankruptcy paralegal services. These questions will also assist you in determining their level of competence and productivity as well as their appropriateness in outsourced situations.
- Have you worked on any bankruptcy cases before, particularly in an outsourced environment?
- When you outsource bankruptcy paralegal services, it’s essential to ensure that the paralegal has significant experience in handling bankruptcy matters remotely. Ask about their background in various types of bankruptcy cases (e.g., Chapter 7, Chapter 13) and their ability to manage these cases while working independently.
The ability derived from experience is essential among various qualifications for a competent bankruptcy paralegal. One just has to ask whether they have handled any bankruptcy cases, at least in a limited or distant manner.
Why it Matters: Personal experience as a lawyer shows that working with cases of bankruptcy means knowledge of different chapters with preferences gave to Chapter 7 and Chapter 13. Those paralegals who have been practicing in outsourced practice settings are fully aware of how to convey and coordinate their practice all by themselves and with the hiring attorney or the firm.
What to look for: Inquire them about their knowledge on the individual bankruptcy cases, joint and those of business bankruptcy. Search for examples, how they have handled some cases and how are they conditioned for working remotely.
- How familiar are you with bankruptcy court procedures and filings when working remotely?
- Bankruptcy litigation consists of very formal and stringent procedures and time-schedules. The paralegal must have great understanding of the surgical maneuvering of the courts and how to deal with filings electronically.
Why it Matters: Credibility of legal proceedings in a bankruptcy can be revealed, dictated by the level of procedural correctness. A competent paralegal makes sure that all documents that have to be filed have been filed appropriately and within the right time to prevent incurring expenses such as penalties.
What to Look For: Ensure that they understand filling of voluntary and emergency petitions, schedules and forms such as form 107- Statement of Financial Affairs, form 2010-Notice to Individual Debtor.
- What software or tools do you use to manage outsourced bankruptcy cases?
- There is a significant use of technology today in the way bankruptcy cases can be administered well. Relevant computer software and tools are an absolutely essential for a paralegal.
Why it Matters: Computing assistant programs such as Bestcase, Mycase or other available bankruptcy software to prepare and filing of documents besides managing bankruptcy cases. Organizational compatibility with your firm’s systems guarantees efficiency in the operations.
What to Look For: Make sure the paralegal knows the software you employ or is ready to know or is willing to learn. Inquire about their experience with case management system, e-filing and communication tools.
- How do you handle client communication and case updates when providing outsourced services?
- Communications is another essential factor that need to be observed in order to avoid misunderstanding between the organisation and its counterpart particularly during the bankruptcy processes.
Why it Matters: Typically, when you outsource paralegal services, you require an individual with the ability to handle communication with the client, and provide regular updates with minimal supervision.
What to Look For: Inquire on its communication plan regarding with the clients, the management of cases and coordination in relations to clients. Be sure that a chosen candidate can smoothly, actively, and systematically communicate while working on a case.
- Can you provide examples of challenging outsourced bankruptcy cases you’ve worked on and how you managed them?
- Each case is different and there can always be some issues that are unforseen in a certain bankruptcy case. It is expected that a competent paralegal should be endowed with experience in solving many compounds without complications.
Why it Matters: Litigation in bankruptcy generally consists of certain legal and complex factors. Whatever adversity excites a paralegal proves that the paralegal in question has problem-solving skills, versatility, as well as knowledge.
What to Look For: Ask for examples of challenging situations that they dealt with under conditions where the service is delivered remotely. Generally, look for details on how they handled procedural aspects such as overcoming processes, conflict resolution mechanism of communication breakdowns, or how they dealt with time constrains.
Bonus Tips: Evaluating Your Bankruptcy Paralegal
In addition to asking these questions, here are some bonus tips to assess the paralegal’s suitability:
References: Get references from lawyers or from the law firms they have previously dealt with.
Certifications: Search for licences as a bankruptcy practitioner as well as qualifying courses in bankruptcy legislation and proceedings.
Adaptability: Make sure you can train them to work with your firm’s conditions whether it is home based or physically based.
Why GSB LPO Services is Your Preferred Choice
We at GSB LPO Services are well staffed with paralegals specialized in bankruptcy laws for handling such cases involving simple and complex structures. We independently handle all aspects of the petition and schedules whether voluntary or forced, and general post-petition matters. They are especially talented in same day document preparation software such as Bestcase and Mycase and other relative means of communication. New to outsourcing or searching for services which may enhance your business, we welcome you to our team.
Conclusion: Hire with Confidence
Selecting the proper bankruptcy paralegal is not always just guesswork. Looking at these five questions, you can tell whether they really know what they’re talking about, whether they are willing and able to change, and what their standards are.
Hiring doesn’t have to be complicated, which is why GSB LPO Services provides a free consultation service where we can learn about the candidate you need. Now allow us demonstrate to you how your bankruptcy cases can benefit from our paralegals.
Call or message us today to find out more about our services and how we can help your practice!