Hiring a Bankruptcy Lawyer in Illinois
How bankruptcy lawyers are paid, the Illinois means test and exemptions, how to check a lawyer's license, and free help. We do not recommend or rank lawyers.
What a lawyer costs in Illinois: fee rules
| Rules on contingency fees | Contingent fees are allowed except where Rule 1.5(d) or other law prohibits them. A contingent fee agreement must be in a writing signed by the client and state how the fee is figured, including the percentage(s) the lawyer gets on settlement, trial or appeal, the litigation and other expenses deducted from the recovery, and whether expenses are deducted before or after the fee is calculated. It must clearly tell the client about any expenses the client must pay whether or not the client wins. At the end, the lawyer must give the client a written statement of the outcome and, if there is a recovery, the client's share and how it was figured. Lawyers may not charge domestic relations fees contingent on securing a divorce or on the amount of alimony, support or property settlement, or a contingent fee to represent a criminal defendant. Linked from the Illinois Courts rules page: https://www.illinoiscourts.gov/rules/supreme-court-rules?a=viii |
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| If a lawyer takes your money | The ARDC's Client Protection Program, funded by Illinois lawyers' registration fees, reimburses clients who lost money or property through a lawyer's intentional dishonesty while acting as their lawyer or fiduciary, or who lost unearned fees when a lawyer died or went on disability inactive status. The lawyer must have been disciplined by the Illinois Supreme Court or have died, and you must have made reasonable efforts at civil remedies. Negligence, fee disputes and insured or bonded losses are not covered. Maximum: $150,000 per loss and $1,500,000 for all claims about one lawyer. File within three years of learning of the loss or within one year after the lawyer was disciplined or died, whichever is later. Filing is free. |
Illinois rules to know first
| Standard Chapter 13 lawyer fee | Northern District of Illinois: Third Amended General Order No. 13-01 (May 28, 2025) provides that for all chapter 13 cases filed on or after June 1, 2025, the maximum Flat Fee authorized for debtor's counsel under Local Rule 5082-2 is $5,500, which may be requested where counsel and the debtor enter into the Court-Approved Retention Agreement; additional Flat Fees are presumptively allowed on the terms of the Addendum for the Mortgage Modification Program. Central District of Illinois: the Standing Order Regarding Attorney Fees for Debtor's Counsel in Chapter 13 Cases (effective January 1, 2024; dated December 20, 2023) sets the "no-look" flat fee at $4,500 ($3,000 in "fee-only" cases, i.e., plans that pay only attorney's and trustee's fees and provide no meaningful dividend to unsecured creditors), for cases filed on or after January 1, 2024. The no-look fee is expected to cover representation through the conclusion of the case, including the appended Duties of Debtor's Counsel; attorneys who do not charge the no-look fee must file an itemized fee application. Southern District of Illinois: General Order 26-1 (entered 3/5/2026) provides that, effective April 1, 2026, the total flat fee amount paid to debtor's counsel in chapter 13 cases increases to $5,500 for consumer cases and $5,700 for business cases. Central District standing order: https://www.ilcb.uscourts.gov/sites/ilcb/files/no%20look%20fee%20order%202024%20%5Bpwh%20mpg%20signed%5D.pdf ; Southern District General Order 26-1: https://www.ilsb.uscourts.gov/sites/ilsb/files/GeneralOrder_26-1.pdf |
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| Means test median income | 1 person: $73,180; 2 people: $93,934; 3 people: $113,625; 4 people: $137,902; add $11,100 for each additional person over 4. These figures apply to bankruptcy cases filed on or after July 15, 2026 (the Census median income data was last updated for cases filed on or after April 1, 2026). The U.S. Trustee updates this table periodically; check https://www.justice.gov/ust/means-testing for the table in effect on the filing date. The table's one-person column is labeled "1 EARNER." Income at or below the median for the household size generally means the Chapter 7 means test's further calculations are not required. |
| Homestead exemption | $50,000 per individual in a home (farm or lot and buildings, condominium, cooperative or personal property such as a mobile home) occupied as a residence. If two or more people own the property, each person's exemption is limited to their proportionate share of $100,000 based on percentage of ownership. No acreage limit is stated. |
| State or federal exemptions | Illinois filers must use Illinois exemptions: residents "shall be prohibited from using the federal exemptions provided in Section 522(d)," except as otherwise permitted by Illinois law. Source: 735 ILCS 5/12-1201 |
Find and check a lawyer
| Lawyer referral service | The Illinois State Bar Association's Illinois Lawyer Finder lets you search an online directory of lawyers by area and field of law, or call for a referral matched to your location and type of legal problem. ISBA says you can "receive a 30-minute consultation with a lawyer in your area for no more than $25." Phone referrals: 217-525-5297, Monday-Friday 9:00-3:00. You are not obligated to hire the lawyer; discuss fees for further services. Phone referral page: https://www.isba.org/public/phonereferral |
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| Check that the lawyer is licensed | The Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission (ARDC) of the Supreme Court of Illinois runs the official Lawyer Search. Search by last name (with options for former names, exact or phonetic match) and optionally first name, status (such as authorized to practice), county, city, state or country. A Recent Status Changes tab lists lawyers whose status changed due to registration, MCLE non-compliance, or discipline or disability orders. ARDC: (312) 565-2600 (Chicago) or (217) 546-3523 (Springfield). Source: Illinois ARDC, Lawyer Search |
| Check discipline history or file a complaint | Complaints (requests for investigation) about Illinois lawyers go to the ARDC. File online, with the downloadable form, or by letter, mail, fax or email to the Chicago office (130 E. Randolph Dr., Ste. 1500, Chicago, IL 60601-6219) or Springfield office (3161 W. White Oaks Dr., Ste. 301, Springfield, IL 62704). There is no fee. ARDC generally notifies you in writing within two weeks whether it will investigate; the lawyer gets a copy of the complaint, and most investigations conclude within 90 days. General dissatisfaction with fees usually is not grounds for discipline, though improper, fraudulent or unrefunded unearned fees can be. Disciplinary case records are searchable on the ARDC site. Phone: (312) 565-2600 or (800) 826-8625 in Illinois (Chicago); (217) 546-3523 or (800) 252-8048 in Illinois (Springfield). Discipline case research: https://iardc.org/DisciplinarySearch Source: Illinois ARDC, File a Complaint |
Free legal help
| Free legal aid | The Illinois Courts self-help page links to IllinoisLegalAid.org to apply for legal aid, Illinois Court Help for referrals and e-filing help, and resources for self-represented litigants. Illinois's LSC-funded legal aid organizations, which give free civil legal help to eligible low-income people, are Land of Lincoln Legal Aid, Legal Aid Chicago and Prairie State Legal Services. LSC grantee list: https://www.lsc.gov/about-lsc/our-grantees |
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All legal help in Illinois · Do I need a lawyer?
General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.