Bankr. S.D. Texas cuts bankruptcy fee award 30.3%, including for block billing

What happened

Jordan & Ortiz, P.C. requested $2,579,023.70 in fees and costs. The court awarded $1,797,561.45, a reduction of $781,462.25. It cut a subset of entries by 35%, or $312,180.75, for block billing, vague or bundled time, and reduced $6,287.50 for clerical work billed as legal work. It also disallowed amounts for duplicative staffing, unrelated probate claims, unsuccessful appeals, and travel time.

What the court said

The court will therefore reduce the fees requested for time that was block billed, vague or bundled by 35% or $312,180.75.

The court will therefore reduce the fees requested for time that was block billed, vague or bundled by 35% or $312,180.75.

The Court reduces the requested fees by $6,287.50 for these clerical entries.

The court also reduced the award for: duplicative staffing, duplicative staffing, duplicative staffing, duplicative staffing, duplicative staffing, unrelated claims, limited success, travel time, travel time, travel time.

Why it matters

The ruling shows that a single percentage cut can apply across a group of entries when time is block billed, vague or bundled, and that clerical entries are separated from legal work. Courts also examine staffing, claim relatedness, appellate success and travel when setting a fee award.

How to keep this out of your fee petition

• Record one task per entry, each with its own time.
• Write the entry when the work happens, not at the end of the week.
• If a task really is one unit of work, say what it was and what it produced.

Cite this ruling

Figures and quotes are taken from the opinion and checked against its text. Spot an error? Email team@legaltime.ai with the case name and we will correct it. Summaries of public court opinions. Not legal advice.