Hiring a Bankruptcy Lawyer in Wisconsin
How bankruptcy lawyers are paid, the Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin: fee rules
| Rules on contingency fees | Under Wisconsin SCR 20:1.5(c), a contingent fee agreement must be in a writing signed by the client stating 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, and 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. SCR 20:1.5(d) bars contingent fees in any action affecting the family (including divorce, legal separation, annulment, paternity, support and maintenance, custody and placement, property division, termination of parental rights and adoption), except to collect past-due support, maintenance or property division, and for representing a defendant in a criminal case or any proceeding that could result in deprivation of liberty. Source: Wis. SCR 20:1.5(c)-(d) |
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| If you disagree with a lawyer's bill | The State Bar of Wisconsin's Fee Arbitration Program may be available when you and your lawyer disagree about the amount charged for legal representation, including costs or expenses. The panel's decision is final and binding, subject only to appeal rights under Chapter 788 of the Wisconsin Statutes; having a lawyer at the hearing is optional. A nonrefundable application fee of $35 to $150 per party applies. Contact feearb@wisbar.org; the Office of Lawyer Regulation does not handle fee disputes. |
| If a lawyer takes your money | The Wisconsin Lawyers' Fund for Client Protection, administered through the State Bar of Wisconsin, may reimburse clients who suffered financial loss due to the dishonest conduct of their attorney, up to the Fund's maximum amount. The committee meets three times a year and sets application deadlines for each meeting. File through the State Bar's File a Claim page; an informational brochure is available in English, Spanish and Hmong. Contact WLFCP@wisbar.org. |
Wisconsin rules to know first
| Standard Chapter 13 lawyer fee | Eastern District of Wisconsin: the court's statement Presumptively Reasonable ("No-Look") Fees in Chapter 13 Cases provides that for chapter 13 cases filed on or after May 1, 2024, the presumptively reasonable fee for an attorney representing the debtor, through at least plan confirmation, is $5,500 (including costs, but not including the chapter 13 filing fee), or $6,000 if the debtor moves to participate in the court's mortgage modification mediation program. The fee is generally expected to cover all ordinary, necessary and reasonably foreseeable pre-confirmation services and routine post-confirmation services (e.g., preparing and amending the petition, schedules and plan; the meeting of creditors; confirmation hearings; stay relief motions; claims review and objections; and completion certifications). Court notice: https://www.wieb.uscourts.gov/news/approved-increases-presumptively-reasonable-fees |
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| Means test median income | Median family income for Wisconsin: 1 person $71,168; 2 people $90,252; 3 people $108,516; 4 people $133,384; 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 | A homestead selected and occupied by a resident owner is exempt up to $75,000. For land owned jointly by spouses (jointly, in common, or as marital property), each spouse may claim up to $75,000. If the home is sold, the exemption carries over to the sale proceeds, up to $75,000, for 2 years while held with the intention of buying another home. The exempt homestead includes the dwelling (including a condominium, mobile or manufactured home, or cooperative) and as much surrounding land as is reasonably necessary for use as a home, at least 0.25 acre if available and not more than 40 acres. Acreage definition read at https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/document/statutes/990.01(14). The exemption does not apply against mortgages, laborers' and mechanics' liens, purchase money liens, and taxes. |
| State or federal exemptions | Wisconsin has not opted out of the federal bankruptcy exemptions. The Eastern District of Wisconsin bankruptcy court's FAQ describes both the federal exemptions in the Bankruptcy Code (11 U.S.C. 522) and Wisconsin's state exemptions as available to Wisconsin debtors. Under federal law (11 U.S.C. 522(b)), a filer uses one list or the other, not a mix. Wisconsin's exemption statute (Wis. Stat. ch. 815, read at https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/document/statutes/815.pdf) contains no provision barring the federal exemptions. The fields below describe Wisconsin's state exemptions. |
Find and check a lawyer
| Lawyer referral service | The State Bar of Wisconsin's Lawyer Referral Service (LRS) connects the public with a trained legal assistant (not legal advice) who assesses your situation and points you to the most appropriate resource; if you need an attorney, LRS refers you to one in your area interested in your type of legal issue. Referred attorneys agree to charge no more than $20 for the first 30-minute consultation; regular fees apply after that. Phone: (800) 362-9082. |
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| Check that the lawyer is licensed | The Wisconsin Court System's Lawyer Status and History site lets the public search Wisconsin lawyers by name, State Bar number, law firm, city, state, law school or graduation year; the Office of Lawyer Regulation lists it for lawyer status and history. |
| Check discipline history or file a complaint | Grievances against Wisconsin lawyers go to the Supreme Court's Office of Lawyer Regulation (OLR). File by phone at (608) 267-7274 or (877) 315-6941, option 1 (not available to incarcerated persons); by mailing a letter or the LR-004 grievance form to Office of Lawyer Regulation, P.O. Box 1648, Madison, WI 53701-1648; or by emailing the form and documents to olr.intake@wicourts.gov. Grievances are against individual attorneys, not firms. OLR's preliminary evaluation may forward the matter, resolve a minor dispute, close it, or refer it for investigation, diversion or a consent reprimand; investigated matters can go to the Preliminary Review Committee, which can authorize a complaint in the Supreme Court. Some cases take 30 to 90 days, complex ones one to two years. You generally cannot learn whether grievances were filed, but OLR will disclose public discipline and formal complaints filed with the Supreme Court. |
Free legal help
| Free legal aid | Legal Action of Wisconsin provides free civil legal help to people who qualify. Apply online or call (855) 947-2529 (about 20 minutes); intake asks about income, assets, household size and the legal issue, applying does not guarantee services, and people who are not accepted get referrals to other resources. The Wisconsin courts' Self-Help Law Center offers forms and information for people representing themselves (not legal advice). LSC lists Legal Action of Wisconsin as its Wisconsin grantee. Self-Help Law Center: https://www.wicourts.gov/services/public/selfhelp/index.htm; LSC grantee list: https://www.lsc.gov/about-lsc/our-grantees |
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All legal help in Wisconsin · 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.