SHOULD YOU CONSIDER BANKRUPTCY?

These are difficult times; debt is mounting, and the stress of having to deal with the constant phone calls, letters, and other reminders of past due bills can be overwhelming. We know that the decision to file Bankruptcy isn’t an easy one. But--when you are faced with a mountain of debt, with no relief in sight, you need to take an aggressive stance and do something now that will help you rebuild and brighten your future.

Bankruptcy law changed in 2005; before that, filing for Chapter 7 Bankruptcy used to be fairly easy. Now, in order to qualify for a Chapter 7 , you have to meet the requirements of a "means test." Your income must be at or below the national median income and you cannot have filed for Chapter 7 Bankruptcy in the past eight years. The Bankruptcy Laws have become more and more complicated; we have the experience and knowledge to guide you through the process.

We also know that every dollar counts right now. You need to find an attorney whose experience and service you can trust — without having to pay for that initial, “getting-to-know-you” interview. We can assure you that we will treat you with the respect and professionalism you deserve at your first meeting and through every step after that. We’ll also be with you for each creditor hearing and Court appearance that is neeeded to complete your Bankruptcy.


From the day you hire our office, we will take the necessary steps to make sure that the debt collector calls will stop, which will allow you the breathing room to figure out what to do next. In a Chapter 7, most debts are eliminated, and you can confidently move on to the next phase of your life without the burden of overwhelming debt.

Please feel free to call us for a no charge initial consultation. We're here to help.

THE LAW OFFICES OF RICHARD L. LEEDS
18321 Ventura Blvd, Suite 900
Tarzana CA 91356
(818) 654-1900
Fax: (818) 654-1902
email: Lawyer602@aol.com

GET THE MOST BANG FOR YOUR LEGAL BUCK

Attorneys are expensive; typical fees range from $250.00-400.00 per hour, and even higher for sophisticated matters.

It's also no secret that there is a tremendous level of dissatisfaction with the legal profession. My own two children have told me more lawyer jokes than I care to hear.

At the same time, competition among attorneys for clients is getting fierce. There is roughly one attorney for each 230 people in California, and large and small law firms alike are closing due to lack of business, particularly in light of the current economy.

Attorneys provide a service. As with almost every other service business, informed consumers can do a lot to help insure that they get what they pay for. Here are a few tips to use when looking for a new attorney:

· Lawyer referral services will provide you with the names of several attorneys who handle your type of case. Call the Los Angeles County Bar at (213) 243-1525 or the San Fernando Valley Bar at 818-340-4529.

· Call several attorneys and ask questions of each one. If possible, ask to speak directly to the attorney rather than a legal assistant or secretary. Question the attorney on the phone about their areas of expertise before you tell them what kind of case you have. Find out how many of your type of cases they have handled in the past and make sure you determine the hourly rate before making an appointment. Also, ask if you'll be billed for the first consultation and what the charge will be. If you are not satisfied with the answers you receive, call another attorney; don't make an appointment if you have doubts.

· Make certain you are completely comfortable with the attorney at the end of the first meeting. The relationship between a client and attorney is highly personal in nature and you'll be working closely together for the duration of your case. You can't tell if the attorney will do a good job for you from one meeting, but if you don't have a good feeling from that first meeting make an appointment with someone else.

· Make sure you read the Attorney Fee Agreement carefully and ask for an explanation of any provisions that are not clear. The agreement should spell out what the hourly or flat fee will be and what the attorney will and won't do for you.

· Demand to be kept informed about the status of your case and to have your phone calls returned. Make sure the attorney will provide you with copies of all important documents in your case. If your particular attorney will be out of the office for extended periods of time, find out in advance who else in the office you can talk to if you have questions.
Most important is to remember that the attorney is working for you!

Richard L. Leeds, Attorney at Law
18321 Ventura Blvd, Suite 900
Tarzana Ca 91356
(818) 654-1900
Fax: (818) 654-1902
Website: rleedslaw.com
email: Richard@rleedslaw.com

CONSIDERING DIVORCE? CONSIDER MEDIATION

It's no secret that divorce attorneys are expensive; fees today range from $250.00-$650.00 per hour and higher, for each attorney. Think about that; a husband and wife can easily be paying a combined rate of $1,000.00 or more for each hour of work done on their case. When you consider that each court appearance usually takes a minimum of 3-4 hours of attorney time, and that most cases require several court appearances, the cost can spiral out of control, and the case can drag on for several years. Mediation can be a very cost effective, less stressful and significantly faster process for resolving your divorce.

In order for mediation to be successful, both parties need to bring an open mind to the negotiations. They need to be willing to explore options; most important, they must avoid taking inflexible positions or making nonnegotiable demands. Unless there is a willingness of each party to keep an open mind and at least listen to the needs of their spouse, the mediation process is likely going to fail, no matter how skilled the mediator may be.

I've read a number of articles which provide statistics about the success rate of mediation versus litigating a divorce; some have claimed a success rate as high as 90%. While I'm not certain that these figures are exactly accurate, I have had very favorable results mediating divorces in my own practice. It's worth a try.

Richard L. Leeds, Attorney at Law
18321 Ventura Blvd, Suite 900
Tarzana, CA 91356
(818) 654-1900
Website: rleedslaw.com
email: Lawyer602@aol.com

What are divorcing parents doing to their kids?

It's becoming more and more evident that many parties to a divorce have little regard for the emotional health and well being of their young kids. Was there anything more painful to see than the face of Sean Goldman as he was being dragged through the media gauntlet in Brazil when finally being returned to his father after 5 years? Do his Brazilian stepfather (supposedly a highly regarded family law attorney himself) and grandparents have any idea of the emotional upheaval that this kid was going through? Unbelieveable.

I recently "fired" one of my clients because of her unreasonable demands about custody and visitation; it didn't matter to her that the kids wanted to be with their dad on a 50/50 basis. There were no allegations that the dad wasn't a fit parent, and the kids were absolutely old enough to know what they wanted (I spoke with them in person). Still, my (former) client wouldn't budge from her position that the kids should only be with dad every other weekend, no time during the week, and only phone calls on Wednesday. And it wasn't a money issue (less time with dad equals more child support to mom); she had plenty of money, more than her ex-husband to be. This was vindictive, nothing more; no regard for the kids' feelings.

While it's our job to represent our clients vigorously, it was clear to me that she had absolutely no concern about the best interests of her kids, and her actions were harmful to them in my opinion. I'm now out of the case, and at last count she's on her 3rd or 4th lawyer.



More next week

Richard L. Leeds, Attorney at Law
18321 Ventura Blvd, Suite 900
Tarzana, CA 91356
(818) 654-1900
Fax: (818)654-1902
Website: Rleedslaw.com