This guide covers 10 bankruptcy attorneys and firms serving Fort Worth, Arlington, the Mid-Cities, and the rest of Tarrant County, from solo practitioners who handle nothing but bankruptcy to large multi-office consumer firms and a business bankruptcy boutique. We evaluated each on board certification in consumer or business bankruptcy law from the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, years focused on bankruptcy, regular practice before the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Texas, Fort Worth Division, whether bankruptcy is the firm’s main focus or one of several practice areas, and how directly clients work with the attorney handling their case.
When comparing options, ask three practical questions. First, will a board-certified or highly experienced bankruptcy attorney handle your case personally, or will most of the work go to paralegals at a high-volume firm? Second, does the attorney have experience with your situation, such as saving a house from foreclosure through Chapter 13, protecting property under Texas exemptions, dealing with tax debt, or reorganizing a small business? Third, what does the fee cover, including the 341 meeting of creditors and any motions or objections that come up later? This list is not ranked and not sponsored.
1. Steele Law Firm, PLLC
- Attorney/Key Figure: Lindsay D. Steele, Principal Attorney
- Headquarters: 3632 Lafayette Ave., Fort Worth, TX 76107
- Phone: (682) 231-0909
- Website: steelebankruptcy.com
- Practice Areas: Bankruptcy exclusively: Chapter 7, Chapter 13, Foreclosure Prevention, Repossession, Creditor Harassment, IRS Tax Debt and Wage Garnishment, Credit Card, Medical, and Payday Loan Debt
- Firm Size: Solo bankruptcy-only practice; about 17 years in practice; Fort Worth Magazine Top Attorney (2021)
About the Firm : Lindsay D. Steele runs a bankruptcy-only practice on Lafayette Avenue in Fort Worth, where the firm’s motto is “All we do is bankruptcy.” She has about 17 years of experience, was named a Fort Worth Magazine Top Attorney in 2021, and is a member of the American Inn of Court.
Clients work directly with Steele from the first consultation through discharge, rather than being handed off to staff. The firm handles Chapter 7 liquidations and Chapter 13 repayment plans, and it regularly helps clients stop foreclosures, repossessions, and wage garnishments, including IRS garnishments. As a solo practice, it has limited capacity for large business reorganization
2. Law Office of Marilyn D. Garner
- Attorney/Key Figure: Marilyn D. Garner, Founding Attorney
- Headquarters: 2001 E. Lamar Blvd., Suite 200, Arlington, TX 76006
- Phone: (817) 381-9292
- Website: marilyndgarner.com
- Practice Areas: Consumer Bankruptcy (Chapter 7, Chapter 13), Chapter 11, Bankruptcy Alternatives, Automatic Stay Protection, Collections Defense, Foreclosure Assistance, Loan Modification, Wage Garnishment Defense, Estate Planning, Probate
- Firm Size: Arlington consumer bankruptcy practice; founder has practiced since 1983 and holds an AV Preeminent rating
About the Firm : Marilyn D. Garner has practiced law since 1983, giving her more than 30 years of experience helping Tarrant County families work through debt, and she holds an AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell, the highest peer rating for legal ability and ethics. Her Arlington office on East Lamar Boulevard serves Arlington, Fort Worth, and the Mid-Cities.
The firm handles Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 cases and also walks clients through bankruptcy alternatives, so filing is not the only option on the table. It regularly helps clients use the automatic stay to stop foreclosures, lawsuits, and wage garnishments, and it assists with loan modifications. Clients work directly with attorneys rather than paralegals, consultations are free and confidential, and the firm’s estate planning and probate practice helps clients plan once their finances are back on track. Its office is in Arlington, about 15 miles east of downtown Fort Worth.
3. Allmand Law Firm, PLLC
- Attorney/Key Figure: Reed Allmand, Founder
- Headquarters: 8350 N. Central Expy., Suite 1200, Dallas, TX 75206 (Fort Worth-area office at 860 Airport Fwy., Suite 401, Hurst, TX 76054, plus offices in Houston and San Antonio)
- Phone: (817) 225-0572
- Website: allmandlaw.com
- Practice Areas: Chapter 7 Bankruptcy, Chapter 13 Bankruptcy, Foreclosure Defense, Repossession Prevention, Creditor Harassment, Tax Debt, Student Loan Debt, Medical Debt
- Firm Size: Large statewide consumer bankruptcy firm; founder is Board Certified in Consumer Bankruptcy Law
About the Firm : Reed Allmand is Board Certified in Consumer Bankruptcy Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and built Allmand Law into what it describes as the largest consumer bankruptcy firm in Texas, with more than 20 years of experience and tens of thousands of cases handled.
The firm serves Tarrant County from its Hurst office and handles Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 cases, foreclosure and repossession defense, and tax, student loan, and medical debt. It has been featured on ABC, Fox News, and CBS News and offers free financial empowerment sessions. As a high-volume firm, clients often work with a team rather than a single attorney throughout the case.
4. Vida Law Firm, PLLC
- Attorney/Key Figure: Behrooz P. Vida, Founding Attorney
- Headquarters: 3000 Central Dr., Bedford, TX 76021
- Phone: (817) 803-3365
- Website: vida-law.com
- Practice Areas: Consumer Bankruptcy (Chapter 7, Chapter 13), Business Bankruptcy
- Firm Size: Three-attorney bankruptcy-only firm; founder is Board Certified in both Consumer and Business Bankruptcy Law
About the Firm: Behrooz P. Vida has concentrated solely on bankruptcy for more than 20 years and is Board Certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in both consumer and business bankruptcy law, a dual certification few Tarrant County lawyers hold. He has served as president of both the Tarrant County Debtors’ Bar and the Tarrant County Bankruptcy Bar, taught as an adjunct professor at Texas Wesleyan University School of Law from 1998 to 2010, and has been named a Texas Super Lawyer every year since 2003. He also holds a Martindale-Hubbell AV rating and was named Best Consumer Bankruptcy Attorney by Fort Worth Magazine.
Every attorney at the firm focuses on bankruptcy. Carla Reed Vida has nearly 20 years of practice and an MBA, which helps small business owners weighing whether to reorganize or close, and of counsel Richard L. Venable is Board Certified in Consumer Bankruptcy Law and a former president of the Tarrant County Debtors’ Bar. The firm’s Bedford office sits in the Mid-Cities between Fort Worth and Dallas. With three attorneys, it is a small team compared with the high-volume consumer firms.plans, and it regularly helps clients stop foreclosures, repossessions, and wage garnishments, including IRS garnishments. As a solo practice, it has limited capacity for large business reorganizations.
5. Leinart Law Firm
- Attorney/Key Figure: Marcus Leinart, Founder and Managing Attorney
- Headquarters: 5601 Bridge St., Suite 400, Fort Worth, TX 76112 (additional office in Dallas)
- Phone: (817) 678-1202
- Website: leinartlaw.com
- Practice Areas: Chapter 7, Chapter 13, Business Bankruptcy, Credit Card Debt, Foreclosure Defense, Repossession, Wage Garnishment, Medical Debt, Tax Debt, Divorce and Bankruptcy
- Firm Size: Dallas-Fort Worth bankruptcy firm (5 attorneys) founded in 2005; thousands of cases filed
About the Firm : Marcus Leinart has been licensed in Texas since 1995 and founded his firm in 2005, and it has since filed thousands of bankruptcy cases across Dallas and Fort Worth. He holds a business degree from TCU and is a member of the National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys. The firm’s east Fort Worth office on Bridge Street serves Tarrant County, with a second office in Dallas.
The firm has more than 470 Google reviews averaging 4.7 stars and offers 24/7 live call answering and free consultations. Its practice includes the overlap between divorce and bankruptcy, a common and tricky situation where timing and joint debts affect both cases. With five attorneys and a high case volume, clients may work with more than one attorney over the life of a case.
6. Griffith, Jay & Michel, LLP
- Attorney/Key Figure: Mark J. Petrocchi, Bankruptcy Attorney
- Headquarters: 2200 Forest Park Blvd., Fort Worth, TX 76110
- Phone: (817) 926-2500
- Website: lawgjm.com
- Practice Areas: Business Bankruptcy (Chapter 11 Reorganization, Corporate Restructuring, Liquidations, Adversary Proceedings, Preference and Fraudulent Conveyance Actions, Workouts), Litigation, Family Law
- Firm Size: Six-attorney Fort Worth firm; bankruptcy attorney is Board Certified in Consumer Bankruptcy Law
About the Firm : Griffith, Jay & Michel is a six-attorney Fort Worth firm whose bankruptcy practice is led by Mark J. Petrocchi, who is Board Certified in Consumer Bankruptcy Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. The firm represents business debtors, creditors, and trustees across the Fort Worth-Dallas area, from small businesses and lenders to publicly traded companies.
Its practice covers the parts of bankruptcy that consumer-focused firms rarely handle: Chapter 11 reorganizations, corporate restructurings, adversary proceedings, and preference and fraudulent transfer litigation, along with out-of-court workouts. That makes it a strong fit for business owners and creditors, while individuals with a straightforward Chapter 7 case may find a consumer-focused firm more economical.
7. Acker Warren, P.C.
- Attorney/Key Figure: Sean Acker and Brandon Warren, Principals
- Headquarters: 2205 W. Division St., Suite A-2, Arlington, TX 76012
- Phone: (817) 752-9033
- Website: ackerwarren.com
- Practice Areas: Chapter 7, Chapter 11, and Chapter 13 Bankruptcy, Foreclosure Defense, Tax Debt, Student Loans, Loan Modifications, Debt Settlement, Credit Counseling
- Firm Size: Small Arlington firm serving Tarrant, Dallas, Parker, Denton, and Wise Counties
About the Firm : Sean Acker and Brandon Warren lead an Arlington firm that handles Chapter 7, Chapter 11, and Chapter 13 bankruptcies for clients across Tarrant County and neighboring counties. The firm pairs bankruptcy filings with related services such as foreclosure defense, loan modifications, and debt settlement, so clients can compare filing against alternatives before deciding.
The firm emphasizes how Texas’s debtor-friendly exemption laws allow most Chapter 7 clients to keep all of their property, and it offers text-message contact for convenience. It can also handle Chapter 11 for individuals and small businesses whose debts exceed Chapter 13 limits. Its website offers limited detail on individual attorney credentials compared with the board-certified practices on this list.
8. Bailey & Galyen
- Attorney/Key Figure: Doug Wright and Jane Mapes, Bankruptcy Attorneys
- Headquarters: 2229 N. Main St., Fort Worth, TX 76164 (Fort Worth office; more than 20 offices across Texas, Arkansas, New Mexico, and Colorado)
- Phone: (817) 583-8392
- Website: thetexasattorney.com
- Practice Areas: Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 Bankruptcy, Chapter 11 Business Bankruptcy, Foreclosure Prevention, Wage Garnishment, Personal Injury, Family Law, Criminal Defense, Workers’ Compensation, Social Security Disability, Immigration
- Firm Size: Large multi-practice firm with 40+ attorneys, founded more than 40 years ago
About the Firm : Bailey & Galyen has served Texas for more than 40 years and has grown to more than 40 attorneys across 21 offices, including locations in Fort Worth, Arlington, Bedford, and Weatherford. Its Fort Worth office on North Main Street handles Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 personal bankruptcies, foreclosure prevention, wage garnishment, and Chapter 11 business cases, with Doug Wright and Jane Mapes listed as bankruptcy attorneys there.
The firm’s scale means clients can reach it 24 hours a day, get service in Spanish, and handle related issues, such as a divorce or an injury claim, under one roof. It has more than 5,300 Google reviews firm-wide. The trade-off is focus: bankruptcy is one of many practice areas at a large general firm rather than its sole specialty.
9. Shuster Law PLLC
- Attorney/Key Figure: David Shuster, Founder
- Headquarters: 118 Lynn Ave., Suite 204, Lewisville, TX 75057 (Fort Worth office at 4500 Mercantile Plaza, Suite 300, Fort Worth, TX 76137)
- Phone: (972) 362-6580
- Website: shusterlawfirm.com
- Practice Areas: Chapter 7 Bankruptcy, Chapter 13 Bankruptcy, Business Bankruptcy, Foreclosure Prevention, Mortgage Modification, Debt Settlement
- Firm Size: Small North Texas bankruptcy firm (2 attorneys); founder licensed since 2002
About the Firm : David Shuster has been licensed in Texas since 2002 and has focused on bankruptcy and debt relief, positioning his firm as local “Financial Stability Attorneys” rather than a national debt settlement company. The firm reports saving hundreds of homes from foreclosure since 2005, using Chapter 13 to stop sales and catch up on mortgage arrears.
It offers Chapter 7, Chapter 13, and business bankruptcy alongside debt settlement and mortgage modification, with free in-person and virtual consultations and Spanish-language service. The firm is headquartered in Lewisville, and its Fort Worth location in north Fort Worth is a satellite office.
10. Machi Wright & Associates
- Attorney/Key Figure: Daniel Wright, Lead Attorney
- Headquarters: 1521 N. Cooper St., Suite 340, Arlington, TX 76011
- Phone: (817) 335-8880
- Website: machilaw.com
- Practice Areas: Chapter 7 Bankruptcy, Chapter 13 Bankruptcy, Foreclosure Defense, SBA Loan Defaults, Credit Card Lawsuits, Wage Garnishment Defense, Personal Injury
- Firm Size: Arlington practice; lead attorney has more than 20 years of experience
About the Firm : Daniel Wright has practiced for more than 20 years and leads the bankruptcy practice at Machi Wright & Associates in Arlington, representing clients in Tarrant County courts and at the Eldon B. Mahon U.S. Courthouse in downtown Fort Worth, where the bankruptcy court sits. The firm handles Chapter 7 discharges and Chapter 13 repayment plans along with foreclosure defense and wage garnishment.
Its experience with SBA loan defaults and credit card lawsuits is useful for small business owners and consumers who are being sued by creditors before deciding whether to file. The firm offers free consultations and Spanish-language service. It also practices personal injury, so bankruptcy is one of two main focus areas.
Fort Worth, TX Bankruptcy Resources
- U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Northern District of Texas (Fort Worth Division): Eldon B. Mahon U.S. Courthouse, 501 W. 10th Street, Fort Worth. The court where Tarrant County bankruptcy cases are filed and heard.
- U.S. Trustee Program: The Department of Justice office that oversees bankruptcy cases and maintains the lists of approved credit counseling and debtor education providers.
- Texas Board of Legal Specialization: Certifies attorneys in Consumer Bankruptcy Law and Business Bankruptcy Law and offers a searchable directory of board-certified specialists.
- Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas: Provides free civil legal help to eligible low-income residents of Tarrant County and North Texas.
- Tarrant County Bar Association: The local bar association, whose bankruptcy and debtors’ bar groups include many of the attorneys who practice regularly in the Fort Worth Division.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I file Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 in Texas?
Chapter 7 wipes out most unsecured debts such as credit cards and medical bills in a few months, and because Texas exemptions are generous, most filers keep their home, car, and personal belongings. Chapter 13 is a three- to five-year repayment plan, often used by people who earn too much to pass the means test or who need to stop a foreclosure and catch up on missed mortgage payments. Board-certified attorneys such as Behrooz Vida and Mark French can evaluate which chapter fits your income and assets.
Will I lose my house if I file bankruptcy in Texas?
Usually not. Texas’s homestead exemption protects a primary residence regardless of value, within acreage limits of 10 acres in a city or town and up to 100 acres (200 for a family) in a rural area. If you are behind on payments, Chapter 13 can stop a foreclosure sale and give you time to catch up. Firms such as Shuster Law and Machi Wright & Associates focus heavily on foreclosure defense.
How much does it cost to file bankruptcy in Fort Worth?
Costs include the court filing fee, which is currently $338 for Chapter 7 and $313 for Chapter 13, the credit counseling and debtor education courses, and attorney’s fees. Chapter 7 attorney fees are usually paid before filing, while Chapter 13 fees can often be paid partly through the repayment plan. Many Fort Worth firms, including Steele Law Firm and Leinart Law Firm, offer free initial consultations.
Can bankruptcy eliminate tax debt or student loans?
Some older income tax debts can be discharged if they meet specific timing rules, including that the return was due at least three years before filing, was filed at least two years before filing, and was assessed at least 240 days before filing. Student loans can be discharged only by proving undue hardship in a separate lawsuit within the bankruptcy, though recent federal guidance has made that process more accessible. Allmand Law Firm and Acker Warren both list tax and student loan debt among their services.
What is the difference between consumer and business bankruptcy?
Consumer bankruptcies under Chapter 7 or 13 deal mainly with personal debts. Businesses may liquidate under Chapter 7 or reorganize under Chapter 11, including the streamlined Subchapter V process for small businesses. Business cases involve creditors’ committees, disclosure statements, and litigation over preferences and fraudulent transfers, so they call for attorneys like those at Griffith, Jay & Michel or Vida Law Firm, where Behrooz Vida is board certified in business bankruptcy.
How often can I file bankruptcy?
After receiving a Chapter 7 discharge, you must wait eight years from the prior filing date to receive another Chapter 7 discharge. The waiting period to receive a Chapter 13 discharge after a Chapter 7 discharge is four years. Filing again soon after a dismissed case can also limit the automatic stay, so prior filings should be reviewed with an attorney before a new case is filed.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice or an endorsement. Attorney qualifications change over time. Verify all credentials and details independently before hiring counsel.