Judge cuts Quinn Emanuel's $185M fee, an amount deemed 'astronomical' by objectors
Briefly

Judge Kathryn C. Davis noted that while insurance companies opposed the massive fee as 'astronomical,' she believed approving an excessively low amount could deter attorneys from pursuing class actions in the future. She emphasized the need to balance rewarding pioneering legal work without disincentivizing efforts to take on complex, novel lawsuits. Davis acknowledged the risk taken by Quinn Emanuel when it pioneered ‘a novel, winning legal theory’ which eventually enabled the pursuit of systematic recourse for class actions.
In her opinion, Judge Davis stated that the significant reduction from $185 million to $92.4 million came after reviewing the calculation of hours and rates submitted by Quinn Emanuel. This adjustment was made following the critique from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit regarding her failure to properly conduct a 'lodestar cross-check,' a crucial assessment for ensuring fair attorney compensation based on actual hours worked and associated risk.
Read at ABA Journal
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