Critics hit law firms bills after class-action lawsuits
Attorneys at the Thornton Law Firm had just helped win a $300 million settlement from State Street Bank and Trust in a complicated lawsuit involving eight other law firms. Now, it was time to submit their legal fees to the judge so that they could get paid.
That’s when the younger brother of Thornton managing partner Garrett Bradley emerged as a $500 an hour “staff attorney” at the Boston firm.
Michael Bradley is a lawyer, but he normally works alone, often making $53 an hour as a court-appointed defender in Quincy District Court, records show. Yet, according to his older brother’s sworn statement on Sept. 14, 2016, Michael Bradley’s services were worth nearly 10 times that rate in the State Street case.
The elder Bradley said Michael worked 406.4 hours on the lawsuit, which centered on international currency trades, at a cost of $203,200.
Read more: http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2016/12/17/lawyers-overstated-legal-costs-millions-state-street-case-opening-window-questionable-billing-practices/tmeeuAaEaa4Ki6VhBpQHQM/story.html