D. Colorado cuts fee award 26.7%, including for block billing

What happened

Murphy's counsel at Baker & Hostetler LLP requested $798,627.75 in fees for 1,556.25 hours. The court awarded $585,660.35, a reduction of $212,967.40 or 26.7%. The court found the bills contained block billing, said it would weigh hourly rates above certain levels for attorneys and paralegals, and awarded a share of the fee total rather than the larger share of billed time requested because of limited success. The figures do not include costs.

What the court said

Murphy's counsel's bills are replete with improper block billing

The court also reduced the award for: hourly rate reduced, limited success.

Why it matters

The ruling shows that block billing can reduce a fee award even when other factors, such as hourly rates and limited success, also drive the cut. Courts reviewing time records may discount entries that combine tasks, and the reduction is applied alongside, not instead of, other adjustments to the requested total.

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 D. Colorado approves and attorney fee motions in Colorado 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.