N.D. Texas cuts fee award 61%, including for block billing

What happened

Kirkland & Ellis LLP, counsel for the fee applicant, sought $400,199.60 in sanctions fees for 446.5 hours in Megatel Homes LLC et al v. Moayedi et al. Judge Sam A. Lindsay awarded $156,067.50, a reduction of $244,132.10, or 61.0%. The court found the firm's national hourly rates inconsistent with Dallas area market rates for attorneys of similar experience, skill, and ability in this litigation. The court then applied a 20% discount to the total fee for block billing and an additional 5% for time spent on document review and clerical work. The figures do not include costs.

What the court said

applying a discount of –20% to account for block billing

an additional –5% to account for counsels’ time spent on document review and clerical work

The court also reduced the award for: hourly rate reduced.

Why it matters

The ruling shows that a fee award can be reduced on several fronts at once: the hourly rate itself, block billing, and time spent on clerical or document review tasks. Courts examine the time records and the rates together, and each problem can lower the final award even where the hours claimed are accepted.

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 N.D. Texas approves and attorney fee motions in Texas 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.