Texas Chapter 11 Filings Double

Chapter 11 filings are a good indicator of how the economy is doing as well as the market for bankruptcy lawyers. If the latest filings are any indication, Texas bankruptcy lawyers are going to be very busy. In the first quarter of 2009, chapter 11 filings doubled over their level from the same time during 2008. During the first quarter of 2009, 259 cases were filed statewide compared to 129 the previous year. Over the first three quarters of 2008, filings fell within a lackluster range of 128 to 152 per quarter or about 50 cases per month. In the fourth quarter of 2008, filings jumped to 213 and then increased again in the first quarter of 2009.

When I have more time, I will look at the types of entities filing (i.e., real estate, health care, etc.) and the size of the filings (small business debtors to mega-cases).