Bankruptcy attorneys provide legal guidance on filing options, debt relief, creditor issues, and the steps involved in navigating bankruptcy.
Grainger Hawley & Shinbaum, LLC stands out as the top bankruptcy law firm serving Montgomery right now. The team has helped thousands of clients since 2003, runs three offices across south-central Alabama, and built its name on plain talk about debt instead of empty promises. If you need one name before you keep reading, start there. But bankruptcy isn’t one-size-fits-all, so five more firms below are worth knowing too.
Debt doesn’t wait for a good time to show up. A layoff hits, medical bills pile up, or a business loan goes sideways, and suddenly the phone won’t stop ringing with collection calls. Montgomery has no shortage of law firms that handle Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 filings, but picking the wrong one can mean a slower case, a bigger bill, or a filing that gets tossed on a technicality. This guide lines up six firms that handle bankruptcy and debt relief across the Montgomery area, so you can compare them before you make a call.
Montgomery Bankruptcy Firms, Compared
| Firm | Best For | Experience | Reviews | Standout Feature |
| Grainger Hawley & Shinbaum, LLC | Overall pick, Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 filings | 20+ years, thousands of clients | Client-praised on Yelp and Google | Free consultations, three offices in south-central Alabama |
| The Law Office of Sandra Lewis, P.C. | Bankruptcy paired with injury or family law needs | 30+ years | 4.0 stars (26 reviews) | Also handles disability, injury, and divorce cases |
| The Anderson Law Firm, LLC | Chapter 7 filings and multi-practice legal needs | Multi-attorney team, decades combined | 4.3/5.0 (60 reviews) | Handles bankruptcy alongside family and personal injury law |
| Backus Law Group | Personalized, boutique-style debt relief | 27+ years | Client-reviewed | $99 down payment option to start a filing |
| David Weston, Attorney At Law | Straightforward Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 cases | Nearly 30 years, since 1996 | Community award recipient | Clients always meet directly with the attorney, never a paralegal |
How This List Came Together
Bankruptcy law takes real experience with federal court procedure, not a firm that files a case here and there between other work. Every name on this list treats debt relief as a core part of its practice, has handled real filings in the Middle District of Alabama, and has a visible history clients can check. Firms with no clear bankruptcy track record got left off.
1. Grainger Hawley & Shinbaum, LLC
Charles Grainger opened this firm in 2003 after years as General Counsel to the Alabama Secretary of State, then joined forces with Brad Hawley and Richard Shinbaum in 2023 to build a wider practice. The firm now runs offices in Montgomery, Prattville, and Troy, and helps clients file Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcy, fight foreclosure, and stop creditor harassment and car repossession. Attorneys also handle criminal defense and family law matters, which comes in handy when a financial crisis overlaps with a divorce or a legal charge. Clients on Yelp and Google point to staff who explain the process clearly and treat people with respect during a hard stretch of life, not just another file on a stack. The firm offers a free case review and works to fit appointments around a client’s schedule, including phone consultations.
Best for: anyone in the Montgomery area who wants a firm that walks through debt relief options honestly, without pushing a filing that doesn’t fit the situation.
Address: 4220 Carmichael Ct N, Montgomery, AL 36106 | Phone: (334) 260-0500 | Website: graingerlegal.com
2. The Law Office of Sandra Lewis, P.C.
Sandra Lewis has practiced law in Montgomery for more than 30 years, and her downtown Commerce Street office handles Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcy alongside personal injury, Social Security disability, and family law cases. That range matters for a client whose financial trouble is tangled up with a divorce or an injury claim already in motion. The firm offers a free consultation and holds a 4.0-star rating across reviews on Yelp.
Best for: clients who need a bankruptcy filing handled alongside a family law or injury matter at the same firm.
Address: 8 Commerce Street, Suite 700, Montgomery, AL 36104 | Phone: (334) 269-5930 | Website: sandralewislawoffice.org
3. The Anderson Law Firm, LLC
This multi-attorney firm, also known through its Anderson, Williams & Farrow branding, handles Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 filings alongside personal injury, criminal defense, and family law work. The bankruptcy team stays current on federal law changes and walks clients through how the automatic stay stops creditor harassment, wage garnishment, and foreclosure the moment a case gets filed. The firm carries a 4.3 out of 5.0 rating across 60 reviews and also serves as a LegalShield provider for the state.
Best for: clients who want a larger firm with attorneys on staff for related legal matters beyond just the bankruptcy filing.
Address: 7515 Halcyon Pointe Dr, Montgomery, AL 36117 | Phone: (334) 694-1039 | Website: theandersonlawfirm.com
4. Backus Law Group
Gary A.C. Backus founded this firm in 1997 and has run it as a boutique practice ever since, meaning clients work directly with him instead of getting passed between associates. The firm focuses almost entirely on Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and student loan relief, and offers a $99 down payment option to get a filing started while the rest of the attorney fee gets worked out. Backus keeps a second office in Clanton for clients outside the city.
Best for: clients who want a smaller, personal firm and a low-cost way to begin the filing process.
Address: 472 S Lawrence St #202, Montgomery, AL 36104 | Phone: (334) 265-0800 | Website: backuslawgroup.com
5. David Weston, Attorney At Law
David Weston has practiced bankruptcy law in Montgomery since 1996, and his office on Halcyon Pointe Drive keeps a simple promise: every client meets directly with the attorney, not a paralegal. Weston handles Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 filings along with debt settlement and consolidation for clients who want an alternative to bankruptcy. He has picked up the Montgomery County Samaritan Award for six years running and the State Bar’s Albert L. Vreeland Pro Bono Award, recognition tied to community service work outside the courtroom.
Best for: clients who want a solo, long-tenured attorney handling a straightforward Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 case from start to finish.
Address: 7515 Halcyon Pointe Dr, Suite 101, Montgomery, AL 36117 | Phone: (334) 265-4477 | Website: davidweston.org
Before You Call Anyone
Don’t hire the first firm you find in a search result. Ask how many cases like yours the attorney has filed in the Middle District of Alabama, whether they handle Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 more often, and what the total cost looks like once filing fees and attorney fees are added together. A firm that answers all three questions straight, without dodging, is usually the one worth trusting with your finances.
FAQ
How much does it cost to file bankruptcy in Montgomery, AL?
Costs depend on the chapter you file. Chapter 7 filing fees run a set federal amount, and attorney fees typically add a few hundred to a couple thousand dollars on top. Chapter 13 costs more overall since it involves a multi-year repayment plan and ongoing court supervision. Ask for a full breakdown before you sign anything.
What is the difference between Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcy?
Chapter 7 wipes out most unsecured debt through liquidation and typically finishes within a few months. Chapter 13 sets up a three-to-five-year repayment plan, which fits people with steady income who want to keep property like a house or car while catching up on missed payments.
Will bankruptcy stop creditor harassment right away?
Yes. Filing triggers an automatic stay, a court order that stops most collection calls, wage garnishments, and lawsuits the moment the case is filed. Some actions, like certain criminal proceedings, fall outside the stay, so ask your attorney what applies to your situation.
Do I need a lawyer to file for bankruptcy?
You can file without one, but bankruptcy law involves detailed paperwork and strict deadlines. A missed form or an incorrect exemption claim can get a case dismissed or cost you property you could have kept. A short consultation with an experienced attorney is worth it before you file on your own.
Conclusion
Debt has a way of piling up faster than anyone expects, whether it starts with a job loss, a medical emergency, or a business deal that didn’t go as planned. The right attorney can slow that pile down fast, stop the calls, and put a real plan in place instead of a temporary patch. Grainger Hawley & Shinbaum remains the strongest all-around pick for Montgomery families and business owners who want a firm that answers honestly and treats every case like it matters, but the other five firms on this list have each built a real reputation of their own. Call more than one before you decide. Ask direct questions about experience, cost, and who will actually handle your case, and hire the attorney who gives you a clear answer instead of a sales pitch.