Protected Speech Case Finally Gets Resolved. Easton Area School District, which is in the Lehigh Valley area of Pennsylvania, has agreed to pay the ACLU, attorneys for plaintiff students, $385,000 in fees for successfully upholding students’ rights to wear “I (heart) Boobies!” bracelets to promote breast-cancer awareness. District claimed they were lewd, but […]
Fee Recovery of $1,125,000 – Less Than Requested – Survived Objector Challenges, Where Fees Based on Percentage of Recovery (Common Fund) and Independent Injunctive Relief Payment By Defendant. Above: Ein Glas Nutella-Nussnougatcreme. Creator: Rainer Zenz at de.wikipedia. Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Germany license. The Third Circuit Court of Appeals, in
New York Federal Judge Hits Lawyer and Two of His Businesses With Sanctions In Regulatory Fundamentals Group Case. On September 24, 2014, U.S. District Judge Katherine B. Forrest (S.D.N.Y.) imposed an attorney and two of his businesses to pay $366,100 in attorney’s fees and expenses to plaintiff Regulatory Fundamentals Group LLC, an investor
Settlement Involved ADA Compliance Relief, No Monetary Benefits to ADA Patrons. Wheelchair ramp at Minneapolis Federal Building. Carol M. Highsmith, photographer. 2012. Library of Congress. Moeller v. Taco Bell Corp., Case No. 4:02-cv-05849-PJH (N.D. Cal.) is a long-running ADA class action brought against Taco Bell, with the case alleging scooter-bound and wheelchair-bound
Postscript to Our June 25, 2014 Post. On June 25, 2014, we posted on U.S. Magistrate Judge (N.D. Cal.) Paul Grewal’s $2 million sanctions award against Quinn Emanuel and Samsung for alleged disclosure of protected documents in the Apple smartphone litigation, payable to Nokia and Apple. Although a reconsideration motion was brought, Magistrate
Appeal on Merits by Garden City Might Moot Fee Motion, With Federal District Judge Deferring the Issue Until Later. In Mhany Management v. Incorporated Village of Garden City, Case No. 05-cv-2301 (E.D.N.Y. Sept. 11, 2014), the Village of Garden City (on Long Island, N.Y.) was found liable for fair housing discrimination under certain
Federal Judge Orders Money Paid to Prevailing Adversary Defendant, Reducing Requested Fees By About 34%. In mid-August 2014, U.S. District Judge Colleen McMahon, in Madison 92nd Street Associates v. Courtyard Mgt. Corp., Case No. 13 Civ. 291 (S.D.N.Y.), sanctioned well-known firm Boies Schiller & Flexner LLP—dubbed as one of the top four “most
Third Circuit Finds “Officer” Language To Be Ambiguous. In Aleynikov v. The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., No. 13-4237 (3d Cir. Sept. 3, 2014) (precedential), a Goldman Sachs computer programmer with the title of “vice president” obtained a summary judgment ruling requiring Goldman Sachs to advance him attorney’s fees incurred in his defense of certain
2014 Partner Compensation Up, But Gap Between Equity and Non-Equity Partners Is Large. Major, Lindsey & Africa has published its 2014 Partner Compensation Survey of based upon a 4.9% response rate from 44,000 U.S. big law firm partners. It shows that average compensation for equity partners in 2014 was $716,000, up 5% from
Plaintiff Gets Hits With WA State Anti-SLAPP Fees For Losing Civil Rights Case. Stopping for a cup of coffee. 1943. John Vachon, photographer. Library of Congress. In DiBiasi v. Starbucks Corp., No. 12-35583 (9th Cir. Sept. 11, 2014) (unpublished memorandum decision), the Ninth Circuit affirmed a $156,797.62 fee and $18,319.79 costs awards
