E.D. Louisiana cuts employment fee award 32%, including for vague entries

What happened

The fee applicant, represented by Jones Walker LLP, requested $2,530 in attorney fees. The court awarded $1,720, a reduction of $810 or 32%. The court reduced several entries for vagueness, cutting a 0.5-hour entry to 0.35, a 0.2-hour entry to 0.14, and a 1.8-hour entry to 1.26. It reduced a 1.3-hour entry to 0.5 hours for block billing and a 4.6-hour entry to 3 hours as excessive. The figures do not include costs.

What the court said

Therefore, the Court will reduce the 0.5-hour entry to 0.35 2 for vagueness.

Therefore, the Court will reduce the 0.2-hour entry to 0.14 3 for vagueness.

Therefore, the Court reduces the 1.8-hour entry to 1.26 hours 4 for vagueness.

Therefore, the Court reduces the 1.3-hour entry to 0.5 hours in accordance with the Court’s minute entry.

The court also reduced the award for: excessive hours.

Why it matters

The ruling shows that courts will trim individual time entries on a fee petition when descriptions are too general to show the work performed, and will also cut entries that combine tasks or claim more time than the court finds reasonable.

How to keep this out of your fee petition

• Name the task, the document or person involved, and the purpose.
• Avoid stock phrases that could describe any day in any matter.
• Keep privileged detail general, but specific enough to show the work.

Cite this ruling

See hourly rates the E.D. Louisiana approves and attorney fee motions in Louisiana 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.