Cases: Class Actions – Page 7 – Cal Attorneys Fees

Class Action: Seventh Circuit Court Of Appeals, In A Posner-Authored Decision, Reverses Class Counsel Fee Award To Lodestar Found Reasonable

August 21, 2017

Nixes A 1.75 Positive Multiplier Based On Complexity And Class “Return. Just to show you that class action fee awards are coming under increased appellate scrutiny, Circuit Judge Posner’s decision in In re Sears, Roebuck and Co. Front-Loading Washer Products Liability Litig., No. 16-3554 (7th Cir. Aug. 14, 2017) (published) on behalf of a […]

Class Action/Lodestar: Recent 2017 Article Suggests N.D. Cal. Federal District Judges Are Using Lodestar Rather Than Percentage Of Recovery Fee Methodology In Class Action Mega Settlement Cases

July 4, 2017

Three Federal Judges Opted To Use Lodestar Method In Recent Cases. National Association of Legal Fee Analysis (NALFA) recently summarized a recent Reuters article suggesting that some federal judges in the Northern District of California have opted to use the lodestar approach to awarding fees, versus the percentage of recovery method, in mega-class actions with

Common Fund/Class Action: What Happens When Class Action Fee Recovery Justified Under Both Common Fund And Contractual Fees Clause?

Cases: Class Actions, Cases: Common Fund

April 17, 2017

Eighth Circuit Court Of Appeals Gives Us Some Hints—Contractual Fee Recovery First, And Then Equitable Consideration Of Common Fund Recovery. Although outside of California, we do report on nationwide decisions which may have some impact on attorney’s fees in different substantive areas of the law. McKeage v. TMBC, LLC, 847 F.3d 992 (8th

Class Action/In The News . . . . Federal Judge Approves Hefty Fee For Class Counsel In 2.0 Liter Diesel Emissions Class Action

Cases: Class Actions, In The News

March 21, 2017

VW Plant, Wolfsburg, Germany. En.wikipedia. User: HighContrast. Creative Commons licnese. According to Law360, a California federal judge recently approved $167 million in fees and $8 million in costs to class counsel in the Volkswagen emissions class action, relating to the part of the case which involved 2.0 liter VW diesel cars. Stay tuned,

Class Action: Special Master May Be Appointed In Class Action Where Media And Class Counsel Agreed That Issue Was Presented On Billings For Staff Attorneys

Cases: Class Actions

February 14, 2017

$75 Million Was The Tentative Class Counsel Fee Recovery, But $4 Million In Suspect Lodestar Billings Raised A Flag For Further Review. In Arkansas Teacher Retirement System v. State Street Bank and Trust Co., Case No. 11-cv-10230-MLW (D. Mass. Feb. 6, 2017) (Doc. #117) (Memorandum and Order), a Massachusetts federal district judge issued

Class Action: N.D. Cal. Adopts Standing Order Requirement That Class Counsel Disclose Third Party Litigation Funding In Class Actions

Cases: Class Actions

January 28, 2017

Rule Came Down On January 23, 2017. U.S. District Judge Susan Illston, in Gbarabe v. Chevron Corp. (a class action relating to a gas explosion off the coast of Nigeria), ordered plaintiff to produce a funding agreement in the class action in a late 2016 order in response to a motion by Chevron.

Class Action: Objector In Separate Action Claiming Substantial Benefit Entitlement To Fees Denied Fees Because Fee Request Was Untimely And Objector Did Not Substantially Add Value To Class Action Settlement

Cases: Class Actions

January 13, 2017

$5 Million Fee Request Snubbed At Both Trial And Appellate Levels. Credit/Debit Card Tying Cases, Case No. A145891 (1st Dist., Div. 4 Jan. 12, 2017) (unpublished) concerned an objector’s challenge to an award of fees and costs to class counsel in a main action, although objector was involved in a separate, more peripheral

Class Action: S.D.N.Y. Federal Judge Chops Billing Rates For “Temporary Associates” And Partner-Heavy Billing Activities

Cases: Class Actions

January 9, 2017

Judge Believed Charging Standard Rates For Contract Attorneys Was Not Right. Class counsel in the Bank of America class action litigation was dealing with an investor lawsuit where $51.6 million in fees were being sought in a case producing a $335 million settlement. Class counsel had 42 lawyers working on the case, including

Class Action: October/November 2016 Issue Of “Practical Law” Contains Discussion About Appealability, Standing, and Review Standards For Class Action Fee Awards

Cases: Appealability, Cases: Class Actions

November 14, 2016

Article Covers A Gamut Of Class Action Fee Issues. In the October/November 2016 issue of Practical Law, there is a nice article summarizing a gamut of issues relating to class action fee awards. Here are the major points made in this article: • Appealability – Decisions on fee awards may be appealable, separate

Class Action: One-Third Percentage Of Recovery Fee Award To Class Counsel Found No Abuse Of Discretion

Cases: Class Actions

October 30, 2016

Trial Judge Properly Approved Class Action Settlement And Attendant Fee Award To Class Counsel. Russell v. EF International Language Schools, Inc., Case No. B263612 (2d Dist., Div. 1 Oct. 27, 2016) (unpublished) involved a trial judge’s approval of a wage/hour class action settlement, which approval was appealed by several objecting class members (objectors).