Lawyers for 9/11 Workers Are Ordered to Justify Some Fees

August 28, 2010

related: Lawyers Extend Deadline For 9/11 Health Settlement due to “Unexpected Logistical Delays.”

source: NY Times    Aug 28, 2010

The lawyers representing most of the ground zero workers who sued the city over health issues will be appearing in court in a new role: defending themselves.

The federal judge overseeing the cases has summoned the law partnership of two firms, Worby Groner Edelman and Napoli Bern Ripka, to a hearing on Friday to justify $6.1 million in legal expenses that they are charging their clients.

Next week, the lawyers are due back in federal court to respond to accusations of overcharging made by the other leading law firm representing workers. That firm, Sullivan Papain Block McGrath & Cannavo, alleges that its co-counsel is trying to inflate its fees by inappropriately charging clients more than $400,000 for publicists, lobbyists and legal and medical experts as case-related costs.

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Posted by Brian

Lawyer Loan Fees Gouge 9/11 Crews

July 25, 2010

source: NY Post    July 25, 2010

Retired NYPD Emergency Service Unit Sgt. John Boesch, who dug for survivors on 9/11 and worked at least 600 hours in the World Trade Center rubble, received an offer of $3,250, the sum awarded to all plaintiffs with no illness.

But based on his settlement letter, his take after lawyer fees and expenses dwindles to $1,322 — only 40 percent of the total.

Boesch’s legal expenses and fees come to $1,927.81, including $579.94 for “return of interest expense.”

“I don’t know loan sharks who charge that much,” said Boesch, 52, adding that this was the first he heard of such charges.

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Posted by Brian

Banks make $38bn from overdraft fees

August 10, 2009

 

source: Financial Times

US banks stand to collect a record $38.5bn in fees for customer overdrafts this year, with the bulk of the revenue coming from the most financially stretched consumers amid the deepest recession since the 1930s, according to research. The fees are nearly double those reported in 2000.

The median bank overdraft fee has this year rose from $25 to $26, according to Moebs, the first time it has gone up in a recession for more than 40 years.

“Banks are returning to a fee-driven model and overdraft fees are the mother lode,” said Mike Moebs, the company’s founder.

Overdraft fees accounted for more than three-quarters of service fees charged on customer deposits, he said.

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Posted by Brian

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