Hiring a Bankruptcy Lawyer in Washington
How bankruptcy lawyers are paid, the Washington 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 Washington: fee rules
| Rules on contingency fees | Under Washington RPC 1.5(c), a contingent fee agreement must be in a writing signed by the client and must 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, clearly notifying the client of expenses owed whether or not the client prevails. At the end, the lawyer must give a written statement of the outcome and, if there is a recovery, the remittance and how it was determined. Where all or part of a recovery is paid in the future, the percentage fee is paid only as the client receives the amounts, or applied to the actual cost of the settlement or award to the defendant. RPC 1.5(d) bars fees in domestic relations matters contingent on securing a dissolution or annulment or on the amount of maintenance, support or property settlement, and contingent fees for defending a criminal case. |
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| If you disagree with a lawyer's bill | The Washington State Bar Association does not resolve fee disputes. It refers people to Resolution Washington and to the Washington State Dispute Resolution Centers listed by the courts. |
| If a lawyer takes your money | The WSBA's Client Protection Fund, overseen by the Client Protection Board, aims to relieve or mitigate a client's financial loss caused by a licensed legal professional's dishonesty or failure to account for money or property entrusted in connection with their law practice. Complete the Application Form (English or Spanish) and email it with supporting documents to cpfund@wsba.org; the CPF Procedures document is linked on the page. |
Washington rules to know first
| Standard Chapter 13 lawyer fee | Eastern District of Washington: under LBR 2016-1(e) (version dated February 24, 2025, in the local rules set dated 2026-07-17), a chapter 13 attorney may elect an Agreed Flat Fee, supported by a Flat Fee Agreement (LF 2016E), that may not exceed $5,000 in a consumer case or $6,000 in a business case (as defined in 11 U.S.C. 1304(a)); it compensates all ordinary, necessary and reasonably foreseeable services and expenses (excluding filing fees and credit counseling/education fees), including the petition, schedules, plan and amendments, the meeting of creditors and confirmation hearings, and common issues such as objections to confirmation, stay relief motions, claim objections and routine motions to dismiss. Approval is included in the confirmation order. The amounts increase every 3 years beginning April 1, 2028 by the CPI-U, rounded to the nearest $25. Western District of Washington: under LBR 2016-1(e)(1), attorneys representing chapter 13 debtors may be awarded fees of up to $5,000 (or such other amount as may be set by general order) (the "presumptive fee") without first filing a written application; the fee compensates all services through entry of the order confirming the plan, including listed tasks such as filing the plan, attending the section 341 meeting and reviewing claims. Fees above the presumptive fee require an application with itemized time records. Western District rule page: https://www.wawb.uscourts.gov/content/compensation-professionals |
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| Means test median income | Median family income for Washington: 1 person $88,585; 2 people $107,100; 3 people $131,737; 4 people $156,567; 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 | The homestead exemption is the greater of $125,000 or the county median sale price of a single-family home in the preceding calendar year (courts use data from the Washington Center for Real Estate Research). There is no dollar limit when the creditor is another state collecting income tax on Washington residents' pension or retirement benefits. The statute sets no acreage limit. The county median figure changes each year and is not published in the statute. Source: RCW 6.13.030 |
| State or federal exemptions | Washington has not opted out of the federal bankruptcy exemptions, so filers may choose either Washington's state exemptions or the federal exemption list in 11 U.S.C. 522(d). Washington's exemption statute itself refers to a debtor exempting property "under the bankruptcy exemption provisions of 11 U.S.C. Sec. 522(d)." Spouses who file separate cases within six months of each other cannot split the systems: if one spouse uses the federal exemptions, the other may not claim Washington's personal property exemptions. No Washington statute read prohibits use of the federal exemptions; the choice comes from 11 U.S.C. 522(b). The fields below describe Washington's state exemptions. Source: RCW 6.15.050(8) |
Find and check a lawyer
| Lawyer referral service | The Washington State Bar Association does not provide referrals to private attorneys. It points the public to local county bar association referral services in Clark, King, San Juan (by email request), Snohomish and Tacoma-Pierce Counties, and to the American Bar Association's lawyer referral directory. |
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| Check that the lawyer is licensed | The Washington State Bar Association's Legal Directory lets anyone search currently licensed Washington lawyers (and limited practice officers and limited license legal technicians) for contact, license and discipline information. It shows license status and type (such as Active, Inactive, Suspended or Disbarred), email and phone, city, county and zip, and discipline notices on the profile; it does not show admission date or full street address. Practice details are voluntary and may be incomplete. |
| Check discipline history or file a complaint | The Washington State Bar Association reviews complaints (grievances) about a lawyer's ethical conduct. File online with the E-Grievance Form or print the Grievance Form and mail it to Washington State Bar Association, 1325 Fourth Ave., Suite 600, Seattle, WA 98101-2539; questions to intake@wsba.org or 800-945-9722 (206-443-9722 local). The WSBA suggests reading its guide 'Lawyer Discipline in Washington' and the grievance FAQ first. For help reestablishing communication or getting your client file, use the Request for Assistance Form instead. Discipline notices appear on lawyers' Legal Directory profiles. Online grievance form: https://onlinegrievance.wsba.org/ |
Free legal help
| Free legal aid | CLEAR (Coordinated Legal Education, Advice and Referral), run by the Northwest Justice Project, is a legal advice and referral hotline for low-income Washington residents with civil legal problems (incomes at or below 125% of the poverty line). Outside King County, call 1-888-201-1014 weekdays 9:15 am-12:15 pm; King County residents call 2-1-1 (weekdays 8:00 am-6:00 pm). Seniors 60+ can call CLEAR*Sr at 1-888-387-7111. Court-affiliated self-help centers also offer free, limited legal services to self-represented litigants. LSC lists the Northwest Justice Project as its Washington grantee. LSC grantee list: https://www.lsc.gov/about-lsc/our-grantees |
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All legal help in Washington · 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.