Fixing Bad Credit with a Lawyer: What to Expect in 90 Days
If you’re staring down a credit score in the 500s or 600s, the idea of fixing it can feel overwhelming. You’ve probably tried paying things off, calling creditors, maybe even disputing a few items online. Still, your score hasn’t budged. That’s where bringing in a credit repair lawyer changes the game.
At Lakeshore Law Center (www.creditrepairdebt.org), we help clients take strategic, legal action to clean up their credit reports—without wasting time on dead ends. You won’t wake up one morning with an 800 score. But in 90 days, you can absolutely make meaningful progress. Here’s what to expect when you work with a credit attorney to start repairing your credit.
Week 1–2: Review, Research, and Strategy
The first step is a deep dive into your credit reports from all three bureaus—Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian. We look for:
- Accounts that don’t belong to you
- Late payments reported incorrectly
- Duplicate entries or outdated debts
- Collections that should’ve been removed
We also go over your dispute history and anything you’ve already tried. Some clients have been disputing the same item for over a year with no results. That tells us it’s time for a more aggressive, legal approach.
From there, we create a game plan focused on high-impact errors—items doing the most damage to your score. It’s not about disputing everything. It’s about being smart and strategic.
Week 3–4: Sending Legal Disputes
This isn’t your basic online dispute form. We send formal letters that cite federal laws like the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) and the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA). These letters go to both the credit bureaus and the furnishers (the creditors or collectors reporting the info).
Why does it matter? Because legal language—and the threat of legal consequences—gets attention. Bureaus and creditors are required by law to investigate and respond within 30 days. If they don’t? We follow up. Hard.
Week 5–8: Monitoring Results
During this stretch, you’ll start seeing updates. Some clients see negative items deleted within a few weeks. Others get a response from a creditor admitting they can’t verify the debt. That’s a win.
We check for:
- Items marked as “deleted” or “updated” on your reports
- Bureaus that failed to respond or investigate
- Creditors that sent vague or incomplete verification
This is also the phase where we determine if it’s time to escalate. If a creditor refuses to comply or a bureau doesn’t do its job, we prepare legal action.
Week 9–12: Legal Escalation (If Needed)
This isn’t always necessary. But when it is, it works. Filing a lawsuit under the FCRA or FDCPA can lead to fast results—deletions, settlements, and in some cases, compensation for damages.
We’ve had clients get collections wiped, scores boosted by 50–100 points, and peace of mind restored—all because we knew how to apply pressure where it counts. That’s the benefit of legal leverage.
What Else Happens in 90 Days?
While we handle the legal side, we’ll also coach you on what you can do in parallel:
- Set up automatic payments on active accounts
- Keep credit card balances under 30% (or better yet, 10%)
- Avoid opening new lines of credit unless we advise it
- Stay organized—every document matters
This one-two punch (legal cleanup plus smart habits) is how real progress happens.
What You Won’t Get
We don’t make promises about overnight results or score jumps. We won’t tell you we can erase bankruptcies or student loans with a magic trick. And we’ll never guarantee a specific score. What we will do is fight, follow the law, and give you the best shot at a cleaner report—and a better financial future.
Ready to Start?
If you’re tired of watching your credit score hold you back, let’s change that. In 90 days, you could be looking at fewer negative items, stronger credit habits, and a much clearer path forward.
Visit Lakeshore Law Center at www.creditrepairdebt.org to schedule a review. We’ll look at where you are, what’s possible, and what it’ll take to get you moving in the right direction—without the fluff.