WASHINGTON – Bankruptcy attorneys may be more careful about how they advise their clients after the U.S Supreme Court’s holding this week that the communication and disclosure rules that apply to debt relief agents also apply to them.

In other news…

Law firm can’t block bankruptcy dismissal: A law firm that acted as counsel for the creditors’ committee in a Chapter 11 bankruptcy lacked standing to challenge dismissal of the case, the 7th Circuit has ruled.

Bankruptcy filings continue to soar: Bankruptcy filings in the federal courts rose 31.9 percent in calendar year 2009, according to data released by the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts.

Justices: Bankruptcy lawyers are ‘debt relief agencies’: Bankruptcy attorneys are “debt relief agencies” under the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005, and are therefore subject to its regulations, the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled.

Click here for the Lawyers USA Bankruptcy law page.