Can an individual do their own chapter 7 bankrupty without a lawyer?

Absolutely. There are places that you can get copies of the bankruptcy paperwork, such as your local library, or you can download it several places online.

http://www.wawb.uscourts.gov/view.htm?f=15&id=268&v=5

Although this says Western Washington Bankruptcy Courts, bankruptcy is based on federal law, not state law, so any Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 paperwork will do, although you'll need to know in which city US Federal court is held.

There are benefits to having an attorney, as they'll know how to liquidate as much of your debt as possible, and which debts you'll have to restructure and repay, such as student loans, federal and state taxes, and child support. At the very least it might be ideal to consult with an attorney even if you want to file on your own, so they can use their experience to determine the best course of action based on your collections history.

You might also consider using a paralegal service to assist you in filing the paperwork. While not as good as attorney, they can assist you in filling out the paperwork and make sure that you've filed correctly.

No matter what you consider, you'll need to pay some money to claim bankruptcy (yes, I know that sounds weird). It may not be as expensive as you think to retain attorney, especially in the event that you file incorrectly and end up paying for the court process twice.