Barton S Balis

My husband and I anguished for over a year on how to handle our financial situation. Job loss and unexpected expenses found us in a scary situation where bills were being paid by credit card. After a successful year on debt consolidation plan, we found ourselves unable to cover expenses and the debt ...consolidation company told us that our best course was Bankruptcy. Bart was the first lawyer that we met with and he put us at ease right away in a very emotional situation. He looked us straight in the eyes and said it was going to be okay. Bart's confidence and reassurance and willingness to answer desperate calls and emails as we navigated Chapter 7 went far above our expectations. His representation of us before the Trustee was fair and sound and he wasn't running in the door at the last minute like many of the other lawyers there for their hearing. Bart advocated for us before, during and after and stayed in touch as we waited for the final case closing, which came today after 15 long months. You simply will not find a more caring, knowledgeable, gracious person to help you through the Bankruptcy process. Thanks to Bart, we didn't just have a fresh start, we had a running start.

For my wife and myself, the specter of Chapter 7 bankruptcy was filled with uncertainty and anxiety. In our very first meeting with Bart Balis he provided perspective and empathy that made going through Chapter 7 a much less stressful process than we had expected. During our early meetings, the pre...paration process, and the actual bankruptcy hearing, Bart was a real professional. If I were looking for a bankruptcy attorney today I would want four things: empathy; good communication skills; outstanding legal skills; and an attorney who is respected by his peers including bankruptcy trustees. Bart Balis is outstanding in each of these areas. I highly recommend that you seriously consider retaining the services of Bart Balis if you are facing Chapter 7 bankruptcy.

In 2007 Bart helped us file a Chapter 7. Everything seemed to work out in our favor until 3 years later. In 2010 we discovered that Bart's office did not send in our Reaffirmation paperwork on our 2nd Mortgage until Oct. 24th of 2007. Our discharge date was Aug. 28th 2007. Due to the Reaffirmation(wh...ich was signed by all parties) was not sent in prior to the discharge the Court did not recognized the Reaffirmation and therefore the Lender reported it as discharged on our credit reports. This not only is stopping us from refinancing our mortgage but also blocks us from buying another home. It also means we did not get any Good Credit for paying our 2nd mortgage (never missed or late on any payment since the loan was generated). Instead the mortgage company is stating that we are voluntarily making payments and we will have a lien on our house. Bart and Bart's office did not inform us of any of this!! After doing research to find out my options(speaking with the trustee, court and other lawyers) WE ARE SCREWED because somebody did not do their job by sending in paperwork on time. Just be warned to follow up on every piece of paper that needs to be filed with the court before discharge and don't count on this office to do that for you.