E.D. New York cuts employment fee award 13.9%, including for block billing

What happened

Phillips & Associates, Attorneys at Law, PLLC sought $202,218.25 in fees in an employment case. The magistrate judge recommended awarding $174,127.73, a reduction of $28,090.52 or 13.9%. The court recommended excluding amounts billed from May 5, 2022, to November 15, 2022, from the charging lien, subtracting hours spent on the firm's motions to withdraw and for a charging lien, and applying a 10% reduction to the attorneys' billed hours because of block billing.

What the court said

The Court, therefore, respectfully recommends a 10% reduction to the hours billed by the attorneys.

The court also reduced the award for: other, fees on fees.

Why it matters

The ruling shows that a magistrate judge will reduce billed hours for block billing even when the overall cut is modest, and will separate time spent on the fee litigation itself from compensable work. It also shows that time records can be tested against the scope of a charging lien.

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

See hourly rates the E.D. New York approves and attorney fee motions in New York federal courts.

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.