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Federal Judge Cites NALFA Survey in Attorney Fee Award

October 1, 2021 | Posted in : Expenses / Costs, Fee / Rate Economics, Fee Award, Fee Award Factors, Fee Data / Fee Analytics, Fee Jurisprudence, Fee Request, Fees & Judicial Discretion, Hourly Billing, Hourly Rate Survey, Hourly Rates, NALFA News, Practice Area: Class Action / Mass Tort / MDL

A federal judge has cited a NALFA survey in a class action attorney fee award.  U.S. District Judge Amos L. Mazzant of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas referenced NALFA’s hourly rate survey in awarding attorney fees and expenses in Cone v. Porcelana Corona de Mexico, S.A.de C.V. et. al (“Vortens”).  The NALFA survey independently showed prevailing market hourly rate data of class counsel in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. 

“To support its submitted rates, Class Counsel commissioned and submitted a survey conducted by the National Association of Legal Fee Analysis ("NALFA").  The sample of the NALFA survey was Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area plaintiffs’ counsel practicing in consumer related or product liability class-action work.  Class Counsel’s submitted hourly rates, while on the higher side, falls within the accepted range,” wrote Judge Mazzant.  In his 26-page fee order (pdf), Judge Mazzant accepted the hourly rate data and survey results and awarded over $4.3 million in attorney fees in the Vortens class settlement.

NALFA conducts custom design hourly rate surveys for clients such as law firms, corporate legal departments, government agencies, and bar associations.  NALFA has also advised other groups on conducting their own hourly rate survey.  Some have even adopted NALFA's rate scale and tier system.  Our custom surveys provide accurate and authoritative billing rate data within a given geography and practice area.  Our survey clients seek prevailing market rate data for a specific case or seek rate intelligence for internal purposes.