November '22 Newsletter
Read about our updates, features, and more in our November '22 Newsletter!
  • Newsletter
NextChapter Team
Published on Nov 17, 2022

Note From the Team 

Did you catch all of the exciting features and updates that our Fall Release had to offer last month? We launched the highly anticipated Chapter 13 Step Payments feature as well as a new mailing integration and we aren’t even done yet! We’re working hard behind the scenes on MyChapter for all areas of law…stay tuned 👀

Upcoming Webinars, Including our Featured Payments Integration!

Throughout December our team is hosting a handful of workshops to better highlight various sections of the app. As always, these sessions are recorded for those that aren’t able to attend live, or if you’d like to share these with other members of your team. Save your spot now for refreshers on:

Additionally, NextChapter is excited to highlight our integration with Usio this month by co-hosting a free webinar with the Usio team!

Built directly in the NextChapter app, this integration makes invoicing and collecting payments from your clients easier than ever. With USIO, you can create invoices, add fees line-by-line, process one-time payments using ACH or debit card, create payment plans based on time intervals or custom dates, and even log cash or check payments made in person. You can also invite your client to view the invoice in our innovative payment portal, where they make payments, create and schedule payment plans, and much more.

Product Updates (Kelly O and Kelly T)

Industry News

Bankruptcy filings increased year over year for the second consecutive month in October showing a potential hint of an upward trend. But not all chapters are seeing the same levels of increase. According to statistics provided by Epiq Bankruptcy, Chapter 13 case filings in October 2022 have increased by 27% when compared to October 2021.

Regional variances must be considered as well when it comes to tracking these trends as the rates of increase and decrease vary greatly state by state. Over the last 12 months, some states have seen notable increases in filings such as Mississippi (27.4%), Louisiana (23.6%), Tennessee (15.7%), Alabama (11.7%), and Georgia (11.5%)*.

If you’re an attorney who is starting to see these increases overall or with Chapter 13 cases, now is the time to get back into NextChapter to make sure you and your team are ready. Firms on an annual account can take advantage of full firm training with our Customer Support team and firms considering upgrading to an annual account can register for an interactive workshop to get started. Reach out to learn more!

*Data calculated from Epiq Bankruptcy Analytics for Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 for both individual and consumer filings when comparing January 1, 2021 - November 3, 2021 to January 1, 2022 - November 3, 2022.

Customer Story

Theresia Groblacher is an experienced paralegal who works at the Law Office of Julia Kefalinos. She and her firm are based out of Miami, Florida and specialize in several practice areas: Bankruptcy and Criminal Defense. Theresia was inspired to become a paralegal because of her compassionate nature and great attention to detail. As a paralegal, she finds it very rewarding to help and support people during difficult times in their lives. She first began using NextChapter in 2019 and has found that the setup of data input makes work more efficient and the filings much faster. A favorite tool of hers is the Client Portal feature because she finds it easy to use and navigate around. Another one of her favorite things about NextChapter is the team who she says are knowledgeable and “are all always there for me, really trying to accommodate me”. Outside of work she enjoys doing a handful of different activities such as playing tennis, cooking, or reading. Theresia is always a joy and we are proud to have her as a NextChapter user!