Abstract

Consumers often rely on lawyers to make complicated legal decisions, though in many cases, the lawyer’s financial interests are at odds with those of the client. We consider this general problem in the context of consumers filing for bankruptcy. Lawyers advise debtors on whether to file the cheaper Chapter 7 filing or the more expensive, and more likely to be dismissed, Chapter 13 filing. We show that bankruptcy courts that allow lawyers to charge more for Chapter 13 bankruptcy filings see a larger fraction of Chapter 13 filings. This is true controlling for a host of demographic controls at the zip code level, as well as with state fixed effects.

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call

Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.