Drowning in debt in San Antonio? Pick the right bankruptcy lawyer.
San Antonio bankruptcy cases are filed in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Texas. The 2005 BAPCPA reforms added a mandatory means test and required pre-filing credit counseling. A Chapter 7 typically wipes out unsecured debt in about 90 days; a Chapter 13 sets up a 3-to-5-year repayment plan.
Bankruptcy is one of the few areas of law where filing fees, court rules, and trustee preferences are local - even highly experienced general-practice attorneys are usually outperformed by a focused San Antonio bankruptcy specialist.
Below are the 10 San Antonio bankruptcy firms that appear most consistently across Texas Bar consumer-bankruptcy listings, the San Antonio Bankruptcy Bar Association roster, and independent peer-review sources.
How we picked these 10: We reviewed published verdicts and settlements, peer rankings (Best Lawyers, Super Lawyers, Avvo, Martindale-Hubbell, Justia), client review patterns, and state bar specialty certifications. Firms that appeared consistently across at least two independent sources made the list. We do not accept payment for placement, and we do not write sponsored reviews. More on our methodology →
Practice focus: Chapter 7, Chapter 13, foreclosure defense, debt litigation
Director of the San Antonio Bankruptcy Bar Association. Over two decades focused on consumer bankruptcy in the Western District of Texas.
Practice focus: Chapter 7, Chapter 13, consumer bankruptcy
Board Certified in Consumer Bankruptcy Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Former president of the San Antonio Bar Association. 30+ years in practice.
Practice focus: Chapter 7, 11, 12, and 13 - consumer, business, agricultural
Board Certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Handles the full bankruptcy spectrum, including farm and small business cases that most consumer firms refer out.
Practice focus: Chapter 7, Chapter 13, debt defense
Head attorney Reed Allmand is Board Certified in Consumer Bankruptcy. The firm has filed thousands of Texas consumer bankruptcies.
Practice focus: Chapter 7, Chapter 13, foreclosure defense, loan modifications
Texas consumer practice with a strong foreclosure-defense bench. Useful when a bankruptcy filing is also being used to stop a foreclosure sale.
Practice focus: Chapter 7, Chapter 13, debtor representation
34+ years of debt-relief practice in San Antonio. Has guided more than 7,000 individuals through Chapter 7 or 13.
Practice focus: Chapter 11, Chapter 7, Chapter 13, business reorganizations, creditor representation
One of San Antonio's oldest full-service firms. The bankruptcy group handles complex Chapter 11 reorganizations and represents both debtors and creditors.
Practice focus: Chapter 7, Chapter 11, trustee work, business bankruptcy
Eric Terry has served as Chapter 11 trustee in multiple Western District cases. Strong choice for small-business owners considering reorganization.
Practice focus: Business bankruptcy, Chapter 11, commercial litigation, creditor rights
Full-service business firm with a bankruptcy partner with 28+ years of Western District experience. Best fit for business filings, not consumer cases.
Practice focus: Chapter 7, Chapter 13, debt counseling
Consumer-focused San Antonio practice handling Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 cases with flat-fee structures published on the firm's website.
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Chapter 7 in the Western District of Texas typically takes 90 to 120 days from filing to discharge. Chapter 13 requires a 3-to-5-year repayment plan; the discharge comes at the end of the plan period. Most San Antonio Chapter 7 cases involve one in-person 341(a) meeting of creditors at the Hipolito F. Garcia Federal Building downtown. Chapter 13 confirmation hearings happen at the same courthouse.
Chapter 7 attorney fees in San Antonio typically run $1,200 to $2,500 flat fee plus a $338 court filing fee. Chapter 13 attorney fees usually run $4,500 to $6,000 (set in part by the local 'no-look' fee), paid through the repayment plan, plus a $313 filing fee. Business Chapter 11 retainers begin at $25,000 and can run $100,000+ for complex reorganizations.
The directory listings on Google have thousands of San Antonio bankruptcy firms. Most are competent. A few are problematic. The patterns to avoid:
Guaranteed outcomes. No ethical attorney can guarantee a result. If a firm promises a specific recovery, dismissal, or court outcome, walk away.
The disappearing partner. You meet a senior partner at intake, then never speak to them again. The case is handled by an unsupervised junior or paralegal. Ask in writing who will be your day-to-day attorney.
Pressure to sign immediately. Reputable firms give you the retainer agreement in writing, time to read it, and the option to take it home. High-pressure intake is almost always a sign of a volume mill, not a craftsperson's practice.
No verifiable track record. The firm should be able to point to verdicts, settlements, peer rankings, or bar association recognition. "We have helped thousands of clients" is marketing copy. Specific numbers, named cases, and third-party rankings are evidence.
Vague fee terms. "Do not worry about cost" is a red flag. Every legitimate San Antonio lawyer will give you a written engagement letter with the fee structure, what is covered, what triggers extra charges, and what happens if you fire them.
Most San Antonio firms on this list offer a free or low-cost initial consultation. Use it. Bring a list of questions and write down the answers. Compare across at least two firms before you sign.
San Antonio is its own market. The procedure, the courts, and the strategy are city- and state-specific in ways that matter to your outcome.
Local courthouses matter. The San Antonio state and federal courthouses have judges, calendars, and procedures that shape how cases move. A firm that knows the local courthouse has an advantage.
Filing deadlines are strict. Notice of claim windows for cases against the City or County, statute-of-limitations periods, and pre-suit certification requirements vary by case type and are unforgiving. A missed deadline often means a lost case — full stop.
Local procedure rules matter. Each court has its own forms, motion practice, and judge preferences. The right San Antonio firm will know not just the law, but the unwritten rules of the courthouse you will be in.
Local plaintiffs and defendants do well in front of local juries. Verdict patterns vary by venue, and a trial-capable firm uses venue strategically.
Chapter 7 wipes out unsecured debt in about 90 days if you pass the Texas means test. Chapter 13 lets you keep assets (a house in foreclosure, a car behind on payments) while paying a percentage of your debt over 3 to 5 years. Most San Antonio filers in 2025-26 use Chapter 7.
Texas has one of the most generous homestead exemptions in the country - unlimited acreage in rural areas and up to 10 acres in a city. Most San Antonio homeowners keep their homes through a Chapter 7.
Texas exempts up to $50,000 per single filer or $100,000 per family of personal property (cars included). Most filers keep their cars.
Yes. The automatic stay kicks in the moment you file. Garnishments, foreclosure sales, and most collection calls stop until the case is resolved.
Chapter 7 stays 10 years from filing. Chapter 13 stays 7 years from filing. Both can be on the report at once if you've filed before.
If your household income is below the Texas median, you qualify outright. If above, you take the means test, which calculates disposable income after allowed expenses. A consultation will tell you in 15 minutes.
One last thing. Choosing a lawyer is personal. Read the reviews. Call two or three firms before you sign. Ask each one: How many cases like mine have you taken to verdict in the last three years? The answer tells you everything. — The LawFirmSquare team