Hiring a Bankruptcy Lawyer in Pennsylvania
How bankruptcy lawyers are paid, the Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania: fee rules
| Rules on contingency fees | Under Pennsylvania Rule of Professional Conduct 1.5(c), a contingent fee agreement must be in writing and state how the fee is determined, including the percentage(s) for settlement, trial or appeal, litigation and other expenses deducted from the recovery, and whether expenses are deducted before or after the fee is calculated. At the end, the lawyer must give the client a written statement showing the remittance and how it was determined. Rule 1.5(d) bars fees in domestic relations matters contingent on securing a divorce or on the amount of alimony or support, and contingent fees for defending a criminal case. Rule 1.5(b) also requires the basis or rate of the fee to be communicated in writing to clients the lawyer has not regularly represented. |
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| If you disagree with a lawyer's bill | Fee disputes are not normally handled through Pennsylvania's discipline process; the Disciplinary Board directs clients to contact the bar association in the county where the attorney practices. |
| If a lawyer takes your money | The Pennsylvania Lawyers Fund for Client Security reimburses victims of attorney dishonesty in the practice of law. The maximum award is $150,000 per claimant, with a $1,000,000 aggregate cap per attorney (effective February 24, 2014) that only the Supreme Court can exceed. Awards are discretionary. Filing is free and a lawyer is not required; mail the original signed Statement of Claim Form with supporting documents (scanned, emailed or faxed copies are accepted, though originals may be requested). |
Pennsylvania rules to know first
| Standard Chapter 13 lawyer fee | Eastern District of Pennsylvania: under L.B.R. 2016-3(a) (local rules dated 2025-12-01), counsel may use a short form application (L.B.F. 2016-3A), or seek approval through Section 2(f) of the chapter 13 plan without a separate application, if total compensation for all services rendered before confirmation is $6,633 or less for an above-median-income debtor or $5,335 or less for a below-median-income debtor; otherwise a long form application is required. The clerk's notice dated March 26, 2025 states these thresholds were automatically adjusted (from $5,875 and $4,725) effective April 1, 2025, for cases commenced on or after that date. Middle District of Pennsylvania: L.B.R. 2016-2(c) allows an attorney to charge a Presumptively Reasonable Fee not to exceed $5,000.00 that includes all legal services through the conclusion of the case, plus up to $1,000.00 additional if the debtor must file business reports or controls an operating business, up to $600.00 for a conduit (mortgage-through-plan) plan, and up to $600.00 for each approved post-confirmation plan modification; the dollar amounts were updated in 2024 and apply to cases filed on or after October 1, 2024. Western District of Pennsylvania: Standing Order (Misc. Proc. #20-222, December 8, 2020) amended W.PA.LBR 2016-1(f) so that the chapter 13 "no-look attorney fee" is limited to a maximum of $5,000.00 and the "no-look expense charge" to a maximum of $500 (including the petition filing fee, postage, copying and similar costs); when counsel's fee and expenses are at or below those amounts, no fee application is required. The amounts include any retainer and are reduced for amounts the client pays directly. Eastern District adjustment notice: https://www.paeb.uscourts.gov/sites/paeb/files/LBR%202016.3%20-%20Website%20Notice%202025.pdf ; Middle District Local Rules: https://www.pamb.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/local-rules/usbc_pamb_local_rules_-_oct_1.pdf ; Western District Standing Order 20-222: https://www.pawb.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/staorders/so20-222.pdf |
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| Means test median income | Median family income for Pennsylvania: 1 person $72,230; 2 people $87,534; 3 people $110,151; 4 people $135,862; add $11,100 for each additional person beyond 4. These figures apply to bankruptcy cases filed on or after July 15, 2026. Used in the Chapter 7 means test (Official Forms 122A-1 and 122C-1). The table's first column is labeled "1 EARNER." The same figures were posted for cases filed April 1 through July 14, 2026. The U.S. Trustee Program updates the table periodically. |
| Homestead exemption | Real property can be covered only by the $300 general monetary exemption, which applies to any property of the debtor (it does not apply against the mortgage in a foreclosure judgment on that property). Source: 42 Pa.C.S. § 8123(a), (b)(5) |
Find and check a lawyer
| Lawyer referral service | The Pennsylvania Bar Association's Lawyer Referral Service (LRS) connects people with a qualified attorney in the right location. Complete the online form (available 24/7) or call 800-932-0311 (select option 2) and describe your legal issue to get an immediate referral, then contact the attorney directly. The initial 30-minute consultation costs no more than $30. The PBA LRS operates in 47 of Pennsylvania's 67 counties. |
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| Check that the lawyer is licensed | The Disciplinary Board of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania offers a public attorney search to view an attorney's contact information and disciplinary history. Search by last name, first name, attorney ID number, city, county or license status; status definitions are on a linked page. |
| Check discipline history or file a complaint | Complaints about Pennsylvania attorneys go to the Disciplinary Board of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania and its Office of Disciplinary Counsel. File online with the electronic form, or print, sign and mail the complaint form (available in English and several other languages) to the district office where the attorney practices. You receive an acknowledgment and file number; Disciplinary Counsel investigates and may contact you, the attorney and others, and you get official notice of the outcome. Complaints are kept confidential except as the rules allow, and the process does not provide money or legal advice. The Board's attorney search shows disciplinary history; some prior discipline documents are online and others can be requested from the Executive Office ($0.50 per page). Board main line: 717.231.3380. |
Free legal help
| Free legal aid | Free civil legal aid for low-income Pennsylvanians is provided by regional legal aid programs. The Legal Services Corporation (LSC) lists seven Pennsylvania grantees: Legal Aid of Southeastern Pennsylvania, MidPenn Legal Services, Neighborhood Legal Services Association, North Penn Legal Services, Northwestern Legal Services, Philadelphia Legal Assistance Center, and Summit Legal Aid. |
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All legal help in Pennsylvania · 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.