Representing Chapter 7 Debtors After the Petition Is Filed and the § 341 Meeting Is Held

You’ve filed the petition and schedules and attended the § 341 meeting. What happens next? This session focuses on the ongoing representation and responsibilities of a debtor’s attorney after filing a chapter 7 petition and completing the § 341 meeting to ensure that the debtor gets and keeps a discharge and any assets they are entitled to. What should a debtor’s attorney do if the asset values that the debtor lists on his or her schedules change after the petition is filed? What ongoing responsibilities does a debtor’s attorney have regarding reaffirmation agreements and assumption of leases by the debtor? What can a debtor’s attorney do to monitor and ensure the prompt administration of assets in the chapter 7 case by the trustee? Can the debtor’s attorney move for abandonment of assets that the trustee is not administering, and what are the legal standards for abandonment? How can a debtor’s attorney best counsel a chapter 7 debtor to cooperate with the trustee so as to avoid jeopardizing their discharge or, if a discharge has already been granted, to avoid creating a basis for revocation of discharge? What are the standards for revocation of discharge?