713Training.Com develops first nationally-recognized bankruptcy training materials

Columbus, Ohio based company, 713Training.Com has recently introduced the first nationally-recognized training materials for bankruptcy paralegals working in the debtor area of law. The recognition was provided by NALS (the association for legal professionals.)

The training materials developed by 713Training.Com are quite extensive. The book, How to Start a Virtual Bankruptcy Assistant Service is based on the idea that "bankruptcy assistants" can now work from home for bankruptcy attorneys nationwide. Under the new law, electronic filing is now mandatory for attorneys filing bankruptcy petitions. This has opened the door to create the "virtual bankruptcy assistant" field – which is growing very rapidly.

Attorneys love to use virtual bankruptcy assistants because they save them an average of 55% to 80% on overhead expenses. The process begins when attorneys are provided with a set of detailed Client Intake Forms that they give to their clients to fill out and return. The attorney reviews the information provided by the clients, then he or she sends the Client Intake Forms to the virtual bankruptcy assistant.

The virtual bankruptcy assistant inputs the initial draft of the bankruptcy petition, then contacts the client to obtain any additional information or to clarify data they provided on the Client Intake Forms. This crucial step is one of the reasons attorneys love the service of a virtual bankruptcy assistant. The client gets to know the "assistant" and this reduces redundant telephone calls to the law firm.

Next, the virtual assistant does an extensive online criminal, civil and deed search to verify some of the information provided by the client on the Client Intake Forms. This assists the attorney in meeting the "due diligence" requirement under the bankruptcy law.

Finally, the draft is returned to the attorney (via PDF format) to review. After review, the attorney can make changes to the document and file the bankruptcy petition or turn the job of electronic filing over to the virtual bankruptcy assistant.

Law firms have been using offsite services for many years, so this idea is not entirely new. Attorneys use runners to file documents in court. They use court reporters who prepare documents offsite. In fact, many attorneys take their work home and prepare their own documents outside the law firm anyway. Drafting bankruptcy petitions can now be added to that list of offsite services for law firms.