PART 1
- SETTING THE FEES
1.1
THE COMPENSATION
ENVIRONMENT
1.2
PUBLIC POLICY &
COMPENSATION
1.3
BAPCPA CHANGES IN THE FEE
ENVIRONMENT
1.4
THE MYTH OF THE FIXED
FEE
1.5
SETTING YOUR
FEES
a.
In
general
b.The
cost of doing
business
c.
Cost of lost
revenue
1.6
AVERAGE FEES IN CONSUMER CASES
1.7
HOURLY RATES IN CONSUMER CASES
a.
In
general
b. Factors
to
consider
1.8
LOCAL CUSTOM AND FEE
GUIDELINES
PART
2 - STATUTES, RULES &
REGULATION
2.1
JURISDICTION TO EXAMINE
FEES
a.
In
general
b.
Extent of
jurisdiction
c.
Party-in-interest defined
d.
Disgorgement of
fees
2.2
CRITERIA FOR DETERMINING -REASONABLENESS OF
FEES
a. Bankruptcy
Code ¬̟
329
b.
Bankruptcy Code ¬̟
330
2.3
DISCLOSURE
a. Bankruptcy
Code ¬̟ 3298(a)
b. Bankruptcy
Rule 2016(a)
c.
BAPCPA required disclosures
d. When
is payment deemed paid?
e. Source
of
payment
f. Fee
sharing
agreements
g. Retainer
fees
h. Postpetition
fees
i. Following
discharge, dismissal -or closing of
case
j. Ethical considerations
2.4 LOGGING
TIME &
EXPENSES
2.5 ROLE
OF THE U.S.
TRUSTEE
a.
In
general
b. U.S.
Trustee's compensation -Guidelines
2.6 RULE
2014 - Appointment of
counsel
2.7 LOCAL
RULES AND FEE
CAPS
PART
3 - WHAT IS COMPENSABLE?
3.1 In
general
3.2 Compensable
time
a. Lawyer
time
b. Paralegal
time
c. Non-lawyer
time
d.
Payment from the estate
3.3 Reimbursement
of
expenses
a.
In
general
b.
Overhead not
compensable
c. Actual
costs compensable
3.4 Interest
on delayed
payment
PART
4 - COMPENSATION IN CHAPTER
7
4.1 Types
of retainer
fees
a. Typical
fee arrangements
b.
Court approval not
required
c. Court
approval
required
d. Appointment
not
required
e. Amount
of the retainer
fee
4.2 Source
of the payment
a. Credit
cards
b. Borrowing
from family
c. From
other insiders
4.3 The
form of the
retainer
a.
Cash or
trade?
b. Post-dated
checks
4.4
Fees and ethics
checklist
4.5 Deposit
in trust
account?
4.6 Subsequent
compensation
4.7 The
fee
agreement
PART
5 - COMPENSATION IN CHAPTER
13
5.1 Retainer
fees in Chapter
13
a. The
typical fee
arrangement
b. Court
approval
required
c. Fee
caps
d. Factors
to
consider
e. The
Houston
experiment
f. The
form of the
retainer
g. Fee-sharing
agreements
5.2 Payment
when case not confirmed
5.3 Payment
if plan
confirmed
5.4 Payment
if confirmed, then dismissed
5.5 Payment
if converted to Chapter
7
5.6 Fees
for postpetition
services
5.7 Priority
of fee payment
5.8 Ethical
caveats
5.9 Summary
of compensation
rules
PART
6 - FEE APPLICATIONS &
EXAMINATIONS
6.1 Formal
application may be
required
a. In
general
b. Local
rules may bypass need - for formal
approval
c. No
notice required if amountis under
$500
6.2 Application
procedure
a. Sample
application
b. Procedure
for
application
6.3 Documentation
required
a. Contents
of
motion
b. Declaration
of attorney
c. Evidence
of market
rates
d. Resumes
of paralegals
e. Itemized
billing
statement
f.Summary
sheet
g. Points
and authorities
h. Certification
that debtor -does not
object
i.Proposed
form of order
j.
Proof of
service
k.Table
of hourly
rates
l. Project
billing format may -be
required
6.4 Objections
to
applications
6.5 The
hearing and introduction of-evidence
a. In
general
b. Right
to adequate notice
c. Hearing
to review -reasonableness of fees
d. Causes
of disgorgement of fees
6.6 The
ruling
PART
7 - ETHICS AND SANCTIONS
7.1 The
ethics
environment
a. In
general
b. Deter
conduct
c.
Innocent
violation
d. Forms
of
sanction
7.2 The
attorney's
ethics
a. Conflict
of
interest
b. Fiduciary
duty
c. Bad
faith or frivolous
filings
d.
Communications with
court
e. Bad
faith prebankruptcy
planning
f. Supervision
of
paralegals
g. Marketing
and management -issues
h. Attorney
as petition
preparer
i. Attorney-client
privilege
j. Misrepresentations
to the
court
k. Inadequate
representation -of client
l. Limited
representation
m. Withdrawal
from representation
7.3
Bankruptcy
crimes
7.4 Compensation
issues
a.
Disclosure
b. Excessive
compensation
c.
Source of
fees
d. Fee-sharing
arrangements
e. Failure
to log time in
detail
f. Receipt
of unauthorized
fees
g. Collecting
fees postpetition forprepetition
services
7.5 The
ethics checklist
7.6 Traps
for the unwary
APPENDIX
INDEX
