A federal judge in Michigan has refused to remove lead attorneys in the Flint water contamination case but plans to bring in a special master to review their fees and expenses.

In an order on Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Judith Levy in Ann Arbor refused to grant a motion brought by Ted Leopold and Michael Pitt, co-lead counsel for a consolidated class action, to remove Hunter Shkolnik from his post as co-liaison counsel to the individual cases. They claimed Shkolnik was luring prospective class members into signing illegal retainer agreements with his firm, New York-based Napoli Shkolnik.