My State Bar of Arizona colleague Alberto Rodriguez provided the following in regard to Tuesday evening’s Lawyers On Call program:

The following is a recap from the February 7 Lawyers On Call public-service program.

Date: February 7, 2012

Topic: Bankruptcy and Foreclosure Issues

Volunteers: Eight Attorneys (Brian Blum, Diane Drain, Doug Edmunds, Tracy Essig, Macie Hawkes, Kristin Mathers, Leonard Sominsky, and Madeleine Wanslee)

Summary:

Volunteer attorneys answered an impressive 158 calls on bankruptcy and foreclosure issues.

Most-frequently-asked questions were:

  • How do I modify my current loan?
  • How do I avoid foreclosure? What are my options? Can I simply walk-away?
  • Is a short sale a good alternative to a foreclosure?
  • What are tenant rights after a foreclosure?
  • What is the process of a bankruptcy? Should I pursue it?
  • How do I deal with debt collectors?
  • What types of bankruptcy are there? How do I know which is right for me?

Three of the eight attorneys were first-time volunteers. They were satisfied with the quality of the questions overall and were excited to have participated in the Lawyers On Call public service program. Calls were consistent from 5 to 7 p.m., which led to another successful phone bank.

Interesting call of the evening: Macie Hawkes received one call from an individual residing in Massachusetts. He mentioned that he had been researching free legal advice and stumbled upon the State Bar’s Lawyers On Call public service program. He set his calendar—taking time zone into consideration—and patiently waited a few weeks for his chance to speak with one of our volunteer attorneys.

Lawyers On Call has helped 158 Arizonans in 2012 and more than 1,526 Arizonans in 2011. The program has helped more than 14,010 people in the eight years that 12 News KPNX -TV has broadcast the program.

The next Lawyers On Call will be held on May 8, 2012, and will address divorce and child support issues.

For more on Lawyers On Call, click here.