Williams v. City of New York et al

Filing 48

ORDER ADOPTING 47 REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS for 30 Motion for Attorney Fees filed by Jeffrey L. Goldberg. No objections having been taken the report is approved. The Clerk of the Court shall provide a final judgment and close the case. So Ordered by Senior Judge Jack B. Weinstein on 6/23/2011. (Lee, Tiffeny)

FILED

IN CLERK'S OFFICE
U 5 DISTRICTCOURTE.D.N.Y

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
EASTERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK

* JUN 2 7 2011 *

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BROOKLYN OFFICE

ARETHA WILLIAMS,
Plaintiff,
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REPORT AND
RECOMMENDATION

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concerning the fees to be awarded, if any, to The Law Office of Jeffrey L. Goldberg P.C. (the
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"Goldberg Firm") pursuant to a charging lien asserted by that firm under section 475 of the
New York Judiciary Law. The Goldberg Firm represented the plaintiff in this action from

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the commencement of the lawsuit until December 2010 when they were replaced by The

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Sanders Firm, P.C. The Sanders Firm has served as counsel since that time and negotiated a

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settlement of this action with the defendants. The Goldberg Firm seeks a portion of the

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attorneys' fees that have resulted from the settlement.
The Goldberg Firm and the Sanders Firm have each submitted letter briefs in support
of their respective positions and the court held an evidentiary hearing on May 4, 2011 at
which Jeffrey L. Goldberg and Eric Sanders each offered testimony and other evidence
concerning the services that were rendered by each of the firms during the course of their
respective representations of the plaintiff. On the basis of the submissions and the evidence,
I make the findings and recommendation below.
Many of the facts are undisputed. The plaintiff Aretha Williams signed a retainer
agreement engaging the Goldberg Firm as her attorneys for this matter on or about October

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