DuPont agreed Tuesday to shell out at least $1.75 billion to resolve its patent and antitrust battle with Monsanto Company over genetically engineered seeds--a battle that has already resulted in a $1 billion jury verdict against DuPont, as well as a bruising sanctions order against the chemical giant.

For any class action plaintiffs lawyer, winning tens of millions of dollars in fees is a big deal. But the litigation Robert Abrams of Baker & Hostetler spearheaded for a group of southeast U.S. dairy farmers isn't your average case--not for Abrams, his firm, or the bankruptcy trustee and creditors of Howrey LLP.