Allagas et al v. BP Solar International, Inc. et al

Filing 195

ORDER TO FILE SUPPLEMENTAL DOCUMENTATION (Illston, Susan) (Filed on 12/14/2016)

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

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NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

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MICHAEL ALLAGAS, ET AL.,

Case No. 14-cv-00560-SI

Plaintiffs,
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v.

ORDER TO FILE SUPPLEMENTAL
DOCUMENTATION

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BP SOLAR INTERNATIONAL, INC., et
al.,

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United States District Court
Northern District of California

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Defendants.

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Plaintiffs have filed motions for final approval of a class action settlement agreement and

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for attorneys’ fees and costs. Docket Nos. 187, 188. These matters are set for hearing on

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December 22, 2016.

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The Court has reviewed the papers filed and finds that supplemental documentation would

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assist the Court in ruling on plaintiffs’ motions. Recognizing that plaintiffs have provided their

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billing summaries in this case for lodestar comparison purposes only, the Court still needs more

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detail in order for this comparison to be useful. See Vizcaino v. Microsoft Corp., 290 F.3d 1043,

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1050 (9th Cir. 2002) (“. . . the lodestar may provide a useful perspective on the reasonableness of a

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given percentage award.”). The Court will not require plaintiffs’ counsel to file full time records

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but does request that plaintiffs file supplemental declarations that, for each legal worker on the

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case for whom billing information is provided, explain that person’s level of expertise and what

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role he or she played in this lawsuit.

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The Court also requires further documentation to support the claim for an award of

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reasonable costs incurred by plaintiffs’ counsel. The current exhibits state only the sum total of

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costs incurred in broad categories such as “Consultants/Experts” and “Travel.” See Birka-White

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Decl. Ex. C; Nelson Decl. Ex. C. The Court requires a break-down of the costs that comprise

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these totals, in order to make a determination whether the request for costs is reasonable.
Plaintiffs are advised to file the above supplemental documents in time for the upcoming
hearing on December 22, 2016, if possible.

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IT IS SO ORDERED.
Dated: December 14, 2016
______________________________________
SUSAN ILLSTON
United States District Judge

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United States District Court
Northern District of California

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