Our clients are concerned. The legal system is cloaked in mystery and moves very slowly, all of which contributes to anxiety and stress. Our clients deserve, and receive fast and courteous answers to help them better understand the process.

Our clients have questions about their legal problems. While many legal problems do not have specific answers, our job is to provide the best answers we can and explain why the answers are not always simple.

2. Clients have the right and responsibility to make decisions which affect their lives.
Our clients have unique priorities, goals and a unique tolerance for risk. The law and the legal process constantly present choices and options. Each choice, each option has its own costs and benefits, its own risks and rewards. Our clients must decide what is best for them.

Our clients are entitled to know, as best we can tell them, about the costs and risks of each choice or option.

Our clients are entitled to know, as best we can tell them, about the benefits and rewards of each choice or option. 

3. Clients are entitled to ethical, professional and skilled representation.
Our clients are entitled to, and receive ethical representation. The lawyers in our firm have about 75 years of Bankruptcy Court experience which is unblemished by ethical concerns. Our lawyers enjoy a reputation for honesty and integrity with the Judges of the Bankruptcy Court, the Department of Justice Office of the United States Trustee, and with other lawyers in the bankruptcy law community.

Our clients are entitled to have confidence that they will be represented in a professional manner. The lawyers in our firm actively pursue continuing legal education receiving many more hours than what is required. Our lawyers join and participate in professional organizations such as the National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys, the National Association of Consumer Attorneys, the California Bankruptcy Forum, the Central District Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys Association, the Financial Lawyers Conference and others. The firm does not do "cookie cutter" work. Instead, each client's legal problems receive individual attention designed to advance that client's best interests.

Our clients are entitled to, and receive skilled representation. The firm is on the "short list" of attorneys mentioned by active and retired judges when they are see that someone needs an attorney or a new attorney. The lawyers have represented other bankruptcy lawyers, family members of judges and trustees. The firm is led by a dual certified specialist with undisputed expertise (see biography of David A. Tilem).

4. Clients are entitled to a fair fee.
Our clients are entitled to be charged only for work done on their case. Instead of a fixed or flat fee which includes a little extra for the unusually expensive case, most clients are charged on an hourly basis for the work done only on their case.

Our clients are entitled to a fair hourly rate which is based on the skill and experience level of each lawyer and paralegal in the firm.  While hourly rates for bankruptcy attorneys in the greater Los Angeles area are reported to be as high as $900/hour, our attorney hourly rates (which remain unchanged since 2006) run from $250 to $450/hour.

Our clients are entitled to have work performed efficiently, by a qualified attorney at the lowest possible billing rate.  To ensure consistent quality, work done by less senior attorneys and staff is supervised.

Our clients are entitled to clear and detailed monthly statements. The firm provides monthly statements which show who worked on the case, what work was done, the time consumed, the hourly rate for that person, all payments received and any retainer balances.

BASED ON OUR BELIEFS

1. Our attorneys will try to understand the client's priorities and goals and keep those firmly in mind throughout the representation.

2. Our attorneys will be sensitive to the fears and concerns of our clients and work whenever possible to keep fears and concerns at a minimum. 

3. Our staff will respond to all telephone calls and communications received by the office within a reasonable period of time. 

4. Our staff will address all billing questions.

CLIENT RESPONSIBILITIES
Legal representation is a two-way street. Clients cannot expect to receive the best possible outcome unless they also follow certain standards. 

1. Clients Must Provide Complete and Accurate Information.
Clients must provide us with complete and accurate information about their legal situation. 

Clients must let us know immediately if they have forgotten to mention anything about their case or if they learn new information.

Clients must let us know immediately if they change their priorities or goals so that our work can be adjusted to match the new goals and priorities.

2. Clients Must Be Respectful.
Our attorneys and other staff members understand that their duty is to represent our clients. There is never an excuse for clients to be less than respectful, whether at the office or over the phone.

3. Clients Must Remain Involved With Their Legal Matter.
Clients must remember that this is their legal matter. They will be asked to make decisions about their case on an ongoing basis.  These are decisions which we cannot make on their behalf. Clients must remain actively involved in their legal matters.

Clients must provide us with current contact information including telephone numbers, a mailing address and, if possible, an email address.

4. Clients Must Pay For Legal Services.
Clients must understand that we provide legal advice and guidance for a fee and that the payment of that fee is not an option.  Fees are used to pay our lawyers, our staff members and our overhead. If fees are not paid as required in our retainer agreements, we cannot continue to provide ongoing legal services and we cannot continue to provide legal representation.

As part of our commitment to maintain a high standard of professionalism, we will sometimes provide free or discounted legal services.  We carefully select those clients who are most in need of assistance and make arrangements with them in our retainer agreements.

5. Clients Must Understand That There Are Limits.
Clients must understand that there are limits to what we can do. These limits are set by Federal and California law, by Rules of Professional Conduct, by Court Rules and by what is necessary to maintain our professional reputation. We will always abide by these restrictions.

If circumstances occur which raise legal or ethical questions, we will make every effort to resolve the questions as quickly as possible. Ultimately, however, if the questions cannot be resolved, we must and will take those steps necessary to end the representation.

SUMMARY
So what does all of this mean to you, our clients?

1. We will probably never answer the question: WHAT SHOULD I DO? The answer depends on your personal goals and concerns and can only be answered by you, our client.

2. Our clients get expert legal representation which is uniquely prepared for them and their needs.

3. Our clients get personal attention.

4. Our clients are fully informed, understand their options and make choices which are best for themselves. This may take some time and cost a little more, but we believe it is the secret to a successful attorney/client relationship.

5. Our clients get respect and we expect the same in return.