It’s OK. The Attorneys Still Get More Than $1,000 Per Hour

One of the drivers of the increased number of wage and hour cases is the prospect of handsome attorney fee awards. But while percentage fee awards may indeed result in large payoffs, courts are increasingly looking at whether such large amounts are reasonable under the circumstances. We’ve seen this trend in courts questioning attorney fee awards in addition to other settlement terms, particularly in states such as California, Florida and New York. But a recent case suggests a thoughtful look at the concept of percentage awards to reduce a windfall in a large wage and hour class matter.