A federal judge in Maryland adopted a magistrate’s recommendation in full, awarding a plaintiff in a breach-of-contract action $786,565 in fees and costs, approximately 25% less than the requested amount due to apparent duplication of efforts between old and new counsel.
The combined request for $793,614 in attorney fees was made by current and former counsel of Byron W. Martz, who prevailed in a case against Day Development Co. in a dispute involving a consulting services agreement. Under the agreement, DDC was obligated to pay Martz for securing Frederick, Maryland’s approval to amend a previously approved land development plan. DDC never developed nor sold the land, and it failed to compensate Martz for his services, according to the report and recommendation filed earlier this month by U.S. Magistrate Judge Matthew J. Maddox for the District of Maryland.
