- videocam On-Demand
- signal_cellular_alt Intermediate
- card_travel Class Action and Other Litigation
- schedule 90 minutes
Class Counsel Fee Awards: Navigating Increased Judicial Scrutiny of Fee Amounts Relative to Actual Class Recovery
Rule 23(e) and 23(h) Standards; Calculation, Valuation, and Allocation of Non-Cash Benefits; Measuring Class Benefit
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Description
Proponents of settlement should not expect to have fee arrangements rubber-stamped. The circuit courts are making clear that courts must assess whether an attorneys' fees arrangement are appropriate at both the pre- and post-certification stages. Similar scrutiny is being applied to requests for "reasonable" fees awarded under Rule 23(h).
Because fee arrangements are an important aspect of the class settlement, counsel must be well-versed in designing and calculating attorneys' fees and the methods that might be problematic in different types of settlement structures. Valuation of non-cash benefits must generally be supported by cogent expert testimony. Agreed-upon and/or requested fees may be reduced.
The heightened focus on attorneys' fees over the past decade is now being felt in more jurisdictions, particularly in consumer-focused class actions.
Listen as our experienced panel of class action lawyers explores the new emphasis on attorneys' fees, attorneys' fee calculation methods, standards for comparing attorneys' fees and class benefits, and special issues in claims made and coupon cases.
Presented By
Mr. Herman is special counsel in the firm’s Litigation Section. With thirty years of experience, his primary practice focus recently has been on representing both plaintiffs and defendants in commercial, class action, and professional liability cases. Mr. Herman also is often asked to provide expert testimony in such matters. He maintains a broad civil practice. Mr. Herman has handled everything from highway defect and products liability cases to fire and flood loss cases, to attorney fee disputes and employment cases, to special appellate work before the Louisiana Supreme Court and other courts of appeal. Notably, in 2010 he was appointed by the Court to serve as one of two Liaison and Lead Class Counsel for all businesses, individuals, and local governments involved in the Deepwater Horizon/BP Oil Spill litigation.

Mr. Zavareei has devoted the last eighteen years to recovering hundreds of millions of dollars on behalf of consumers and workers. He has served in leadership roles in dozens of class action cases and has been appointed Class Counsel on behalf of numerous litigation and settlement classes. An accomplished and experienced attorney, Mr. Zavareei has litigated in state and federal courts across the nation in a wide range of practice areas; tried several cases to verdict; and successfully argued numerous appeals, including in the D.C. Circuit, the Fourth Circuit, and the Fifth Circuit.
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This 90-minute webinar is eligible in most states for 1.5 CLE credits.
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Live Online
On Demand
Date + Time
- event
Thursday, January 11, 2024
- schedule
1:00 p.m. ET./10:00 a.m. PT
Outline
- Overview of Rule 23(e)(3) and 23(h)
- Fee calculation methods
- Balancing fees against the benefit to class members and type of relief
- Red flags of collusion
- Analogies from other substantive areas of law
- Recent decisions, including
- Lowery v. Rhapsody Int’l Inc., 75 F.4th 985 (9th Cir. 2023)
- Moses v. New York Times Co., 79 F.4th 235 (2d Cir. 2023)
- In re Broiler Chicken Antitrust Litigation, 80 F.4th 797, 800 (7th Cir. 2023)
Benefits
The panel will review these and other critical issues:
- What settlement structures and fee provisions are most likely to pass muster?
- How are fees in damages actions assessed differently than in injunctive actions?
- What are some of the considerations to account for in claims-made settlement classes?
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