Lawyers Seek $94 Million in Fees for College Aid Case

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Three U.S. law firms, Freedman Normand Friedland, Gilbert Litigators and Counselors, and Berger Montague, involved in an antitrust lawsuit against 17 elite U.S. universities, are requesting $94.7 million in legal fees for their work on the case. The lawsuit, filed in 2022, accused universities like Brown, Columbia, Yale, and others of unfairly favoring wealthy students in admissions, allegedly driving up tuition costs.

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Settlements Reached and Fee Request

These firms have secured settlements totaling $284 million with 10 of the defendant universities. The settlements are subject to approval by U.S. District Judge Matthew Kennelly in Chicago. Columbia and Duke agreed to pay $24 million each, while Northwestern and Vanderbilt agreed to pay $43.5 million and $55 million, respectively.

  

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Continuing Legal Proceedings

Despite settlements with some universities, the lawsuit is ongoing against the remaining seven schools. The settling universities have denied wrongdoing, aiming to focus on academic pursuits. The lawsuit represents a proposed class of 200,000 current and former students seeking damages.

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Legal Fees and Hours Invested

The attorneys involved claim to have dedicated over 91,310 hours to the case. They argue that the $284 million settlements achieved thus far are exceptional. Hourly rates for attorneys range up to $1,495, with service awards of $20,000 requested for eight named plaintiffs.

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Conclusion

The outcome of this fee request and the ongoing legal proceedings will shape the landscape of college admissions and financial aid policies in the U.S. The case is Henry v. Brown University, pending in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.