In a high-stakes courtroom clash, Google has pushed back against a $217 million legal fee claim from the lawyers representing consumers in a privacy lawsuit. The case, which initially sought billions, ended with Google agreeing to a settlement but without paying monetary damages.
At a recent hearing in Oakland, California, Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers scrutinized the fee request submitted by David Boies and his team from Boies Schiller Flexner, alongside other firms. These attorneys, who had been vying for a significant payout, faced tough questions as they argued their case.
The lawsuit, filed in 2020, accused Google of improperly collecting user data despite assurances of privacy through Chrome’s “Incognito” mode. Although Google settled by agreeing to destroy vast amounts of data, the settlement did not involve a financial payout, as the consumers failed to establish the case as a class action.
Judge Rogers remarked on the failure to secure monetary damages and questioned the reasonableness of the fee request. She criticized the high hourly rates and the billing for what she deemed unnecessary legal staffing during depositions.
Google’s defense described the fee demand as an opportunistic move to exploit the case for financial gain. The tech giant contested the claims of excessive billing and argued that their own defense costs were significantly lower than the amount sought by the plaintiffs.
Despite the settlement, which some argued was less groundbreaking than claimed, the legal battle continues in California state courts with further lawsuits against Google over privacy violations.
