Legal News

BARBRI plaintiffs' firms looking for a Real challenge

By Richard Binder

McGuireWoods, one of the firms involved in obtaining a $49 million settlement in an antitrust class action against the parent company of BARBRI, are planning another go-round before the 9th Circuit with an appeal over their fees.

The notice of appeal was filed on March 8 after U.S. District Judge Manuel Real of the Central District of California eliminated all the firm's attorney fees over an apparent conflict of interest. The appeals challenge Real's Feb. 3 finding that McGuireWoods violated the California Rules of Professional Conduct by failing to inform class members about an agreement that gave incentive awards to five class representatives based on the value of the settlement.

Two other firms serving as class counsel, New York's Zwerling, Schachter & Zwerling and Washington's Finkelstein Thompson, whose fees the judge reduced, filed a separate appeal on March 15. Real reduced their fees by 37%, to about $1.6 million and $1.5 million, respectively, citing "excessive fees and noncompensable work."

Full story at NLJ.com.

Full post as published by Legal Pad | LA on March 23, 2010 (boomark / email).