Further Reduction Made For Excessive Time/Inefficiencies, As Well As Bloated “Fees On Fees” Request.
Although arising under Delaware law, U.S. District Judge William H. Orrick reduced an attorney’s fees request of $ 3.56 million where the prevailing party did so on a summary judgment motion and its attorneys utilized block billing in fee substantiation submitted to the court. Finding the fee request “eye-catching,” the federal court actually awarded about $2.59 in fees, specifically reducing the fee request 20% alone for submitting block billed time entries—containing a detailed footnote discussion of block billing reduction percentages adopted by various district judges. District Judge Orrick also reduced the request an additional 5% for excessive tasks/inefficiencies, as well as slashed about $50,000 from a $ 135,000 “fees on fees” request (time claimed to prosecute the fee motion itself).
Here is a link to the decision in Banas v. Volcano Corp., Case No. 12-cv-01535-WHO (N.D. Cal. Dec. 12, 2014) for readers interested in reviewing the whole enchilada.