8 tips for choosing a foreclosure attorney

An appointment with an attorney is a business meeting. Act accordingly.

Brian V. Lee, a bankruptcy attorney and principal of Lee Legal PLLC in Washington, D.C., says: "I would say this about hiring a prospective attorney to assist with a foreclosure: You're not looking for a new friend. You're not hiring a life coach or a therapist. It doesn't really matter how you got where you are, but where you want to be."

Sounds harsh, but the point is that you must speak succinctly and talk about facts and not about emotions. And know what you want: Do you need help negotiating a loan workout? Do you seek a new loan to settle a claim of predatory lending? Do you simply want to buy time? Do you want to avoid a deficiency judgment?