Cara O'Neill

Cara O'Neill

Attorney · University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law

Cara O'Neill is a legal editor at Nolo, focusing on bankruptcy and small claims. She also maintains a bankruptcy practice at the Law Office of Cara O’Neill and teaches criminal law and legal ethics as an adjunct professor. Cara has been quoted in bankruptcy, finance, small claims, and litigation articles by news outlets that include USA Today, CNBC, U.S. News & World Report, Nerd Wallet, and Yahoo Finance.

Cara received her law degree from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law, where she graduated a member of the Order of the Barristers—a highly-selective honor society that gives national recognition to top law school graduates demonstrating excellent skills in trial advocacy, oral advocacy, and brief writing.

Working at Nolo. Cara started writing for Nolo as a freelancer in 2014 and became a full-time legal editor in 2016. She has authored a number of Nolo self-help legal books, including How to File for Chapter 7 Bankruptcy, Chapter 13 Bankruptcy, The New Bankruptcy, Everybody's Guide to Small Claims (national version), and Everybody's Guide to Small Claims in California. She also co-authors and edits Solve Your Money Troubles and Credit Repair and has written hundreds of articles for Nolo.com, Lawyers.com, TheBankruptcySite.org, and AllLaw.com.

Early legal career. Before joining Nolo, Cara spent 20 years working as a trial attorney litigating criminal and civil cases. She also served as an administrative law judge mediating disputes between auto manufacturers and dealerships and began teaching law as an adjunct professor in 2004. She added bankruptcy to her practice after the 2008 financial downturn.

Origins of litigation and writing career. Thanks to her mother, Cara’s advocacy training began early and involuntarily. In junior high school, she took second place two years running in the local Optimist Club speaking competition. She also successfully competed on her high school speech and debate team for several years, eventually serving as president of the same. During law school, she competed on a nationally ranked ABA moot court team for two years (and was recruited for a third, but declined) and served as a law journal editor.

Articles by Cara O'Neill

Georgia Bankruptcy Exemptions
Georgia bankruptcy exemptions enable you to keep property essential for retaining a home and job, but not luxury items. Learn how to prevent unexpected property losses with exemptions.
Bankruptcy v. Doing Nothing
Struggling with debt? Discover whether bankruptcy will help your situation, when doing nothing might be your best option, and what alternatives exist to get you back on track.
Chapter 7 Bankruptcy: What Will It Cost and Will It Wipe Out My Debts?
Find out what Chapter 7 bankruptcy costs based on nationwide survey data. Attorney fees, filing costs, and discharge rates for different debt types are explained.
How to Value Personal Property in Bankruptcy
Find out how to provide the current or fair market value for personal property in bankruptcy, including vehicles, household goods, and valuables, using specific valuation methods.
Debt and Marriage: When Do I Owe My Spouse's Debts?
Spousal debt rules vary by state. In community property states, you might be liable for your spouse's debts, and bankruptcy can complicate matters even further.
Tax Debts in Chapter 7 Bankruptcy
Discover how Chapter 7 bankruptcy can eliminate old income tax debts through the 3-2-240 rule, including requirements, limitations, and which tax debts cannot be discharged.
Can You File Bankruptcy on a Car Loan and Keep the Car?
Worried about losing your car in bankruptcy? Most people don't. Learn how Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 help you keep your vehicle and handle car loans.
How to File Bankruptcy in Colorado
In this comprehensive guide to filing for bankruptcy in Colorado, you’ll learn about the differences between Chapters 7 and 13, the debts you can discharge, the property you can keep under Colorado’s exemption laws, and more.
The Colorado Homestead Exemption
In Colorado, the homestead exemption allows you to protect some equity in your home in bankruptcy. Learn whether you can keep your home in Chapters 7 or 13 or whether you'd be at risk of losing your house in bankruptcy.
Filing for Bankruptcy in Arizona
Overwhelmed by debt in Arizona? Our 2025 bankruptcy guide explains how to protect home equity, qualify for Chapter 7 vs. 13, and file step by step.
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