Stearns Weaver legal team. Top row, left to right: Jenea M. Reed, Alan H. Fein and Joshua A. Munn. Bottom row, left to right: Andrea Nathan and Veronica De Zayas. Courtesy photo
Clarick Gueron Reisbaum brought six attorneys in on the case, of whom partner Nicole Gueron, who has been featured on the New York Super Lawyers list every year since 2011, was paid the most at $595 to $640 per hour. Gueron did not respond to requests for comment before deadline.
Benihana of Tokyo logo. Photo: Lester Balajadia/Shutterstock.com
Benihana of Tokyo balked at these costs and petitioned the court to consider cutting any potential fee award in half, arguing that Stearns Weaver did not try the case efficiently and that its rates were too high. It also argued that Stearns Weaver had too many senior lawyers working on the case, but Benihana Inc. pointed out that some lawyers had began as associates and were partners by the time the case was over.
Engelmayer sided with Benihana Inc.
“This matter surely required at all stages the expenditure of substantial time by senior lawyers. And Mr. Fein’s knowledge of the controversy, client, adversary and governing agreement was unparalleled,” the opinion said.
Lead counsel to Keiko, Yoshimoto and Benihana of Tokyo LLC Frank A. Zacherl, of Shutts & Bowen in Miami, did not respond to requests for comment before deadline.
When reached for comment, Fein preferred to let the court opinion speak for itself.
Read the ruling here:
This content has been archived. It is available through our partners, LexisNexis® and Bloomberg Law.
To view this content, please continue to their sites.
Not a Lexis Subscriber?
Subscribe Now
Not a Bloomberg Law Subscriber?
Subscribe Now
LexisNexis® and Bloomberg Law are third party online distributors of the broad collection of current and archived versions of ALM's legal news publications. LexisNexis® and Bloomberg Law customers are able to access and use ALM's content, including content from the National Law Journal, The American Lawyer, Legaltech News, The New York Law Journal, and Corporate Counsel, as well as other sources of legal information.
For questions call 1-877-256-2472 or contact us at [email protected]
