April 25, 2007

The Daily Business Review reports that the chief judge of South Florida federal courts has condemned attorneys on both sides in an overtime wage case. Their name-calling and refusal to settle is "an abuse of the judicial process". Plaintiff's lawyer will not collect the $144K in fees that he demanded to pursue an overtime pay case of $11,000 which the defendant admitted owing. Defendant's lawyer will not be able to recover $110000 in claimed attorney's fees. The report is replete with descriptions of the outlandish behavior of attorneys. Here's hoping the Florida Bar is next in line to sanction them.

Abuse of attorney fees in federal "overtime pay" cases has gone on for years. May this be a warning to the abusers.

(Update: Defense attorney Jeffrey Norkin responds at Overlawyered.)