Settlement Valued at $6.8 Million; $2.2 Million in Fees Approved.
In Webster v. LegalZoom.com, Inc., Case No. B240129 (2d Dist., Div. 1 Oct. 1, 2014) (unpublished), the Second District sustained a lower court approval of a class action settlement against LegalZoom where the settlement value was pegged at $6.8 million. Class counsel did a smart thing: they requested legal fees of $2.2 million, even though the lodestar plus costs was around $3.4 million. This voluntary reduction lead to a lower court approval of the $2.2 million fee request, with the appellate court rebuffing challenges by certain objectors and sustaining the settlement (including the fee award).
BLOG UNDERVIEW—The author of this 3-0 opinion was L.A. Superior Court Judge Wiley, who co-contributors Marc and Mike have appeared before. He was sitting in Complex and is on temporary assignment in the 2/1 DCA.