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  • Chapter 13 Bankruptcy Intake Package

  • Dear New Client:

    Thank you for choosing North Colony Law Group PC (formerly Grantham Law).  I hope that during your initial interview that we were able to answer any questions that you had concerning bankruptcy.  As discussed, we charge a $4,000.00 retainer for a Chapter 13 Bankrutpcy.  We require $2,000 that amount to be paid before your case will be filed. ($3,000 if you have a pending foreclosure auction)  The remaining balance will be collected through your chapter 13 plan payments, at no additional cost to you. The retainer, hourly rate and expenses are disclosed in the attached fee agreement and schedules.  

    If you wish to retain us, please follow these instructions carefully:

     1.      Read this letter and complete the attached information questionnaire and read the fee agreement.  If you agree with the terms of the fee agreement, sign the agreement electronically.  Once it is signed, click on the submit button.

    2.      Once we receive the signed document, we will send you an invoice.  Once we receive your initial retainer payment, you can inform your creditors that you are filing bankruptcy. 

    3.      After you submit this form, please proceed to “Step 2” so that we can run your credit report. Please do not skip this step.

    4.      While your petition is being prepared, you must stop using your credit cards and stop making all credit card payments. However, it is important that you continue to pay your utilities, housing payments, automobile payments, and insurance. If you have any questions about what you should be paying, please contact us. If you have a debit card with a Visa or MasterCard logo, it is ok to use that card.

     5.      If you are facing foreclosure, please let us know immediately!!!  Send us any correspondence you receive regarding a pending foreclosure.

                Again, I would like to thank you for choosing us to represent you in this matter.  If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me directly at the number listed below.

     

    Best regards,

    Dax Grantam

  • CLIENT INFORMATION QUESTIONNAIRE

    Please take a moment to complete the following information. It is important that this information is correct, so that we may better serve your needs.  If any of this information changes, you are responsible for informing us immediately.

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  • Your Bankruptcy Retainer

  • Based on the information you provided, we understand that you have a foreclosure auction scheduled.  It is important that we move quickly in order to prevent the auction.   Therefore, we require that a $3,000 retainer be paid before we begin any work on your case. 

    Our representation does not begin until we have received your retainer.  

    Once you complete this form, we will contact you to arrange for the payment of your retainer and instruct you of the next steps.  

  • ATTORNEY-CLIENT FEE AGREEMENT

    (Joint Ch. 13 Debtors)

    This document (the "agreement") is a written contract that the law requires lawyers to have with their clients. We, North Colony Law Group, PC ("We" or "NORTH COLONY") will provide legal services to you, {yourName} and {spouseName} (Collectivly "You") on the terms set forth below.

    1. CONDITIONS. This agreement will not take effect, and we will have no obligation to provide legal services, until you return a signed copy of this agreement and pay the initial deposit called for under Paragraph 4.

    2. SCOPE OF SERVICES. You are hiring NORTH COLONY as your attorney, to represent you in a Bankruptcy proceeding.  We will provide all legal services reasonably required to represent you. We will take reasonable steps to keep you informed of progress and to respond to your inquiries.  This agreement only covers you for those services typically associated with your type of Bankruptcy, for a Chapter 13 this includes all services preparing and during your repayment plan, including but not limited to: the preparation of your petition, schedules, and plan, representing you before the trustee in the 341 meeting of creditors, and responding to trustee and creditor motions within the usual scope of the bankruptcy.

    3. CLIENT'S DUTIES. You agree to be truthful with us and with the preparation of your bankruptcy schedules, to cooperate, to provide us with any documentation we require, to abide by this agreement, to pay all bills on time and to keep us advised of your address, telephone number and whereabouts. You understand that it is your responsibility to inform NORTH COLONY of all legal documents You receive relating to foreclosure of your property. 

    4. LEGAL FEE/DEPOSIT. You agree to pay NORTH COLONY a retainer deposit of the amount of $4,000.00.  ${isThere} shall be paid before your case is filed, and we will collect the remaining balance through your chapter 13 plan. 

    Your bankruptcy will not be filed until the initial ${isThere} deposit has been paid in full, regardless of the status of any foreclosure or other legal proceeding.  Your initial deposit will be applied as a credit that will be used to pay your legal fees and other charges you incur as outlined in paragraph 5 of this agreement.  Any and all remaining credit/retainer at the conclusion of our services will be refunded to you (if any).

    5. LEGAL FEES AND BILLING PRACTICES. You will be billed by the hour at our prevailing rates for all time spent on your matter. You will also be responsible for all costs incurred by us while working on your bankruptcy.  Our current hourly rates and costs are set forth on the attached Schedule A. If the amount of our legal fees exceeds the amount of your retainer deposit, thus exhausting your deposit, we reserve the right to file a fee request with the Bankruptcy court and our fees will be paid from the amounts you paid the Bankruptcy Trustee as an administrative expense.

    6. DISCHARGE AND WITHDRAWAL. You may discharge us at any time. We may withdraw with your consent or for good cause. Good cause includes your breach of this agreement, your refusal to cooperate with us or to follow our advice on a material matter, or any fact or circumstance that would render our continuing representation unlawful and/or unethical.  When our services conclude, all unpaid charges will immediately become due and payable.  After our services conclude, we will, upon your request, deliver your file to you, along with any unused retainer and other property of yours in our possession.

    7. CASE DISMISSAL.  In the event that your bankruptcy case is dismissed by the Court due to:  your failure to make plan payments; your failure to comply with a Court order; or, you seek to voluntarily dismiss your bankruptcy, our representation under this fee agreement will terminate once the Court enters an order closing your case.  At that time, we will refund to you your unused deposit.  If your deposit has been depleted, and there remains an unpaid legal fee to this firm, you authorize us to seek collection of our fees from the monies you paid into your Chapter 13 plan to the chapter 13 trustee in your case. 

    8.  CONVERSION FROM CHAPTER 13 TO CHAPTER 7.  If it becomes necessary to convert your bankruptcy to a chapter 7 after your case is filed, for any reason, you agree to pay us a fee of $50.00.  

    10.  FULLY INTEGRATED CONTRACT. I understand that this document is a contract that represents the full agreement between NORTH COLONY and me. NORTH COLONY has not made any promises or representations about the outcome of my matter, other than the ones that are expressly contained in this agreement.

    _______________________________________________________________

    SIGNING

    By signing, you acknowledge that you have read and understand that this document is a legally binding contract that creates obligations. You have read and understood the foregoing terms and agree to them. 

  • ATTORNEY-CLIENT FEE AGREEMENT

    (Individual Ch. 13 Debtor)

    This document (the "agreement") is a written contract that the law requires lawyers to have with their clients. We, North Colony Law Group, PC ("NCLG") will provide legal services to you, {yourName} ("You") on the terms set forth below.

    1. CONDITIONS. This agreement will not take effect, and NCLG will have no obligation to provide legal services, until you return a signed copy of this agreement and pay the initial deposit called for under Paragraph 4.

    2. SCOPE OF SERVICES. You are hiring NCLG as your attorney, to represent you in a Bankruptcy proceeding.  We will provide all legal services reasonably required to represent you. We will take reasonable steps to keep you informed of progress and to respond to your inquiries.  This agreement only covers you for those services typically associated with your type of Bankruptcy, for a Chapter 13 this includes all services preparing and during your repayment plan, including but not limited to: the preparation of your petition, schedules, and plan, representing you before the trustee in the 341 meeting of creditors, and responding to trustee and creditor motions within the usual scope of the bankruptcy.

    3. CLIENT'S DUTIES. You agree to be truthful with us and with the preparation of your bankruptcy schedules, to cooperate, to provide us with any documentation we require, to abide by this agreement, to pay all bills on time and to keep us advised of your address, telephone number and whereabouts. You understand that it is your responsibility to inform NCLG of all legal documents You receive relating to foreclosure of your property. 

    4. LEGAL FEE/DEPOSIT. You agree to pay NCLG a retainer deposit of the amount of $4,000.00.  ${isThere} shall be paid before your case is filed, and we will collect the remaining balance through your chapter 13 plan. 

    Your bankruptcy will not be filed until the initial ${isThere} deposit has been paid in full, regardless of the status of any foreclosure or other legal proceeding.  Your initial deposit will be applied as a credit that will be used to pay your legal fees and other charges you incur as outlined in paragraph 5 of this agreement.  Any and all remaining credit/retainer at the conclusion of our services will be refunded to you (if any).

    5. LEGAL FEES AND BILLING PRACTICES. You will be billed by the hour at our prevailing rates for all time spent on your matter. You will also be responsible for all costs incurred by us while working on your bankruptcy.  Our current hourly rate is $350/hr.  Costs are billed at the actual cost that is incurred.  If the amount of our legal fees exceeds the amount of your retainer deposit, thus exhausting your deposit, we reserve the right to file a fee request with the Bankruptcy Court and our fees will be paid from the amounts you paid the Bankruptcy Trustee as an administrative expense.

    6. DISCHARGE AND WITHDRAWAL. You may discharge us at any time. We may withdraw with your consent or for good cause. Good cause includes your breach of this agreement, your refusal to cooperate with us or to follow our advice on a material matter, or any fact or circumstance that would render our continuing representation unlawful and/or unethical.  When our services conclude, all unpaid charges will immediately become due and payable.  After our services conclude, we will, upon your request, deliver your file to you, along with any unused retainer and other property of yours in our possession.

    7. CASE DISMISSAL.  In the event that your bankruptcy case is dismissed by the Court due to:  your failure to make plan payments; your failure to comply with a Court order; or, you seek to voluntarily dismiss your bankruptcy, our representation under this fee agreement will terminate once the Court enters an order closing your case.  At that time, we will refund to you your unused deposit.  If your deposit has been depleted, and there remains an unpaid legal fee to this firm, you authorize us to seek collection of our fees from the monies you paid into your Chapter 13 plan to the chapter 13 trustee in your case. 

    8.  CONVERSION FROM CHAPTER 13 TO CHAPTER 7. If it becomes necessary to convert your bankruptcy to a chapter 7 after your case is filed, for any reason, you agree to pay NCLG a fee of $50.00.

    10.  FULLY INTEGRATED CONTRACT. I understand that this document is a contract that represents the full agreement between NCLG and me. NCLG has not made any promises or representations about the outcome of my matter, other than the ones that are expressly contained in this agreement.

    _______________________________________________________________

    SIGNING

    By signing, you acknowledge that you have read and understand that this document is a legally binding contract that creates obligations. You have read and understood the foregoing terms and agree to them.

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