As a busy bankruptcy attorney serving metro Detroit for close to 30 years now, it’s sometimes easy to forget how much a bankruptcy case can truly help someone struggling with finances.  We attorneys get caught up in managing our caseload, dealing with documents, creditors, Trustees and the day-to-day operations of running a law office.

It’s always nice to hear from former clients, whether they are looking for a copy of their Bankruptcy Discharge Order, wondering if they can file another Chapter 7, calling to refer a friend or family member or are simply checking in to say “Hello”.  It’s especially nice to hear that they are doing well after their bankruptcy case and that the bankruptcy helped them.

This past Thanksgiving, I heard from one of my former clients.  He wrote to tell me:

Hi Walter

I wanted to thank you for handling my bankruptcy case. It has been at least 4 years now and I was thinking about you as we move into the Thanksgiving holidays. If it was not for you I would have lost my home and probably would have ended up living in my car. I never told you but I contacted an attorney in Dearborn and he said he could not help me.

As a last effort I called your office and you helped me get out of about $70,000 credit card debt and keep my home. I still have my house and am debt free except for the mortgage on my house. I have only one credit card now and use it only for emergencies. Current balance is only about $20.00.

Thank you again, I don’t know how my life would have ended if you were not successful in helping me. May have even committed suicide.

If anyone reads this letter, I recommend that you call Walter Metzen if you are in debt and about to lose your home. Walter is a good man; decent and honest, and an excellent Bankruptcy attorney.

C. Marshall 

This simple note caused me to pause and reflect on what I do for a living.  I’m thankful for clients like Mr. Marshall.  I’m thankful that I practice in an area of law that can truly help people facing tough financial times.  I’m thankful that our founding fathers recognized that bankruptcy should be available to debtors and provided for it in the United States Constitution.  Although the law has changes throughout the years, its fundamental purpose to provide debtors with a fresh financial start free of the pressures of creditor demands remains intact.  For more endorsements on how bankruptcy helped some of my bankruptcy clients, see my testimonials page.