Bankruptcy Paralegal Career & Training

What is a Bankruptcy Paralegal?

Bankruptcy is a legal process in which debtors can be relieved of their liability to repay (all, or a portion of) their debts through bankruptcy court arrangements. This process is usually lengthy and technical in nature, so most individuals and businesses that are filing bankruptcy do so with the assistance of a bankruptcy attorney. Most bankruptcy paralegals work for bankruptcy attorneys, assisting them with a number of tasks related to the client’s bankruptcy proceedings. However, some bankruptcy paralegals work for creditors who hold debts that are involved in a bankruptcy.

Bankruptcy Paralegal Job Duties

A qualified bankruptcy paralegal can complete many of the same tasks as an attorney, and thus bankruptcy paralegals perform a wide variety of job duties. These vary depending on if the paralegal works on behalf of the individual or business that is filing bankruptcy, or a creditor named in a bankruptcy proceeding. According to the National Association of Legal Assistants & Paralegals (NALA) publication here are the the job duties of bankruptcy paralegals:

Interviewing the client to gather relevant facts; communicating with the client throughout the bankruptcy process
Obtaining and reviewing the client’s credit report
Drafting documents including petitions, schedules, statements, disclosures, reaffirmation agreements, motions, and correspondence to creditors
Monitoring deadlines related to the proceedings
Communicating with the bankruptcy court clerk, trustee, and creditors, via telephone and written correspondence
Filing documents with the bankruptcy court

Bankruptcy paralegal duties for those who work for creditors may include the following:

Reviewing petitions, promissory notes, and schedules
Performing searches of the Uniform Commercial Code to obtain information
Preparing proof of claims
Drafting Uniform Commercial Code information

How much do Bankruptcy Paralegals Make?

Bankruptcy paralegal salary information reflects a wide range in compensation, ranging from around $30,000 to over $70,000. The national average salary for a Bankruptcy Paralegal is $52,351 in United States (Glassdoor, 2017 Wage Data). Salaries can vary widely depending on years of experience, type of employer, and geographic area.

Bankruptcy Paralegal Skills

In order to succeed as a bankruptcy paralegal, a number of important skills are required. Bankruptcy paralegals must have a keen attention to detail, as it’s critical that bankruptcy documents are completed correctly. They should also have strong organizational skills and be able to multi-task and prioritize. Strong writing and verbal communication skills are also necessary.

Freelance Bankruptcy Paralegals

Due to the state of the current economy, the number of bankruptcies is rising. In addition to increasing the need for qualified bankruptcy paralegals, this has also brought about a new role – that of the freelance bankruptcy paralegal. These paralegals work independently, often from home, to provide paralegal bankruptcy assistance to lawyers, and generally do the same tasks as an on-site bankruptcy paralegal. This can be beneficial to both parties, as the freelance paralegal gets the flexibility of working (for the most part) when and where they want, and the bankruptcy attorney can utilize the paralegal when they need them without paying a full-time salary and benefits. Most freelance paralegals have several years of in-firm experience before setting out on their own, as a strong knowledge of bankruptcy regulations and procedures is necessary.

Bankruptcy Paralegal Training

Many bankruptcy paralegal jobs require candidates to have a college degree or paralegal certificate. When completing a paralegal education, those who are interested in becoming a bankruptcy paralegal should be sure to take any bankruptcy course that is offered. However, much bankruptcy paralegal training is on-the-job. Some bankruptcy paralegals start as secretaries or legal assistants in firms that handle bankruptcy, before moving to a bankruptcy paralegal position upon gaining more knowledge in the area.