Judge Deems Legal Fees Charged in Asbestos Cases Reasonable
In recommending $8.8 million in legal fees for 14 law firms, including Sidley Austin, DLA Piper and Nixon Peabody, Southern District Magistrate Judge James Francis said that a reasonable billing rate "need not be the lowest possible rate, but, rather, must merely fall within a range of reasonableness."
January 30, 2015 at 06:12 AM
5 minute read
A Southern District magistrate judge has recommended that an insurer pay $8.8 million in legal fees and potentially as much as $4 million in interest incurred by a company defending asbestos claims around the country.
In approving billing rates for 14 law firms, including Sidley Austin, DLA Piper and Nixon Peabody, Magistrate Judge James Francis (See Profile) in Danaher v. Travelers, 10-cv-0121, said that a reasonable fee must be based on a reasonable hourly rate. “It need not be the lowest possible rate, but, rather, must merely fall within a range of reasonableness,” Francis said.
The fees stem from a dispute over insurance coverage for claims against Chicago Pneumatic Tool Co. The company has been the defendant in silica- and asbestos-related products liability claims throughout the U.S., many brought by individuals claiming to have lung injuries due to exposure from air compressors made by Chicago Pneumatic.
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