Free Services
Contact us to find out if you are financially eligible for our services. If you are you will then receive free legal services from either our staff, a supervised law student, or a pro bono attorney.
Community Partner
CBAP has longstanding relationships with legal services and community organizations all over the city of Philadelphia. If during our representation we recognize you are having another legal issue we will coordinate with the relevant organization to ensure you are referred to a professional who can assist. We strive to provide complete care even if our legal services are only addressing one aspect of your legal needs.
Easy Reach
See our intake information for the many ways in which you can speak with someone to review your case. Click here to start the process online
True professionals
CBAP volunteers are trained and experienced bankruptcy professionals. With our organization you benefit from the expertise of attorneys in the top of the field who have agreed to provide representation to our clients for free. CBAP is grateful for their dedication and our clients benefit from their wealth of knowledge and experience.
Mission
The Consumer Bankruptcy Assistance Project assists low income, Philadelphia residents with free debt counseling and pro bono Chapter 7 bankruptcy representation with the help of our dedicated staff, volunteer attorneys, and local law students.
Purpose
A Chapter 7 bankruptcy can wipe out almost all of your general, unsecured debts such as credit card or medical debt. For this reason a Chapter 7 bankruptcy can be a powerful poverty fighting tool. Very few other remedies can eliminate an individual’s financial burden the way a bankruptcy can. However, filing for bankruptcy can be burdensome and expensive. Without CBAP’s help many people who would benefit from a bankruptcy are faced with either trying to hire an attorney they can’t afford or trying to go through the complicated process on their own. Instead, because of our services, these same people will have their financial situation assessed by our supervising attorney and their case referred to a pro bono attorney or law student. Our volunteers then walk the client through the many steps involved including, but not limited to, gathering all the necessary documents, completing the required forms, as well as advising the client about the debt counseling that is needed or court dates that are scheduled.
Ultimately, CBAP’s goal is to have our clients leave after receiving our services in better, more sustainable financial situations than when they came to us. By providing both access to the court system and the tools to be financially sustainable our clients are empowered to create better financial futures for themselves and their families.
Priorities
- Increasing access to the bankruptcy courts
- Empower low income families to take control of their finances
- Providing a financial fresh start to individuals with overwhelming debt.
