The question is not a silly one.
We all know what to wear to a baseball game, or to Church, or to a business meeting, or to a picnic, or to play golf. Or tennis, if you do that sort of thing.
But not all of us show up routinely in Bankruptcy Court.
So not all of us know the answer!
It's also a little more important than you might think.
Because first impressions matter.
And they call it the practice of law for a good reason.
Here's what NOT to wear to a First Meeting of Creditors in Phoenix, even if you're a Scottsdale kinda girl.
Avoid wearing a five-carat Cubic Zirconia ring in a vermeil setting.
A client of mine did exactly that, about twenty years ago. I had suggested that she take it off, and she laughed and said that it was worth five dollars, and she'd gotten it at the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show out of a barrel. And that if the trustee wanted it, she'd just toss it to him!
That's why they call it the practice of law, of course. You practice, and you learn from your mistakes.
So we went to the First Meeting, and the trustee stared at the ring for the entire meeting, but didn't say a word about it.
The next day I received notice in the mail that he'd hired a lawyer.
The next day I received a Motion for a Rule 2004 Examination of my client.
And a Request for Production of Documents.
And we spent about a year, on and off, demonstrating the truth, which was that the poor lady didn't have a pot or a window out of which to throw it.
But it's not so easy to correct a mistake first impression. Remember "you only have one chance to make a first impression"?
It's ever so true.
And if you buy a great replica of a five thousand dollar Mont Blanc Pen after you file the bankruptcy, don't bring it with you to the First Meeting to take notes.
The trustee isn't blind, and he knows the liquidation value of everything on the planet, because that's part of his job!
I'm not telling you this to help you fool a trustee; I take it for granted that you were honest and complete when you filled out your schedules, because otherwise you have an opportunity to take a fun-filled vacation at Club Fed, all at government expense!
But some things are just bonehead maneuvers, and teasing the trustee with worthless junk that looks just like valuable assets is one of those maneuvers.
So what do you wear to your First Meeting of Creditors?
I think that if you wear the same things you'd wear to a picnic, you'll do just fine.
Although a picnic is more fun.
