In a legal clash that has reverberated through the ivory towers of academia, three powerhouse law firms have swooped in, talons outstretched, seeking a colossal $94.7 million bounty in legal fees. This ferocious legal saga unfolded against the backdrop of an antitrust lawsuit that accused 17 prestigious American universities of favoring affluent applicants in their admissions process, allegedly turning a blind eye to the financial struggles of less privileged students.
The trio of legal behemoths – Freedman Normand Friedland, Gilbert Litigators and Counselors, and Berger Montague – have orchestrated a symphony of legal maneuvering since unfurling the lawsuit’s banner in 2022. Their battlefield has been the courtroom, where they have sparred with the ivory towers of Brown, Columbia, Yale, and their brethren.
A majestic $284 million has already been wrested from the ivory coffers of 10 of these esteemed institutions, marking a seismic victory for the plaintiffs. Yet, this legal crusade marches on, with the remaining seven institutions steadfastly resisting the tempest of litigation.
At the heart of this tempest lies a class of 200,000 students, past and present, clamoring for justice. Their plaintive cry reverberates in the hallowed halls of justice, seeking restitution for the alleged inequities that have marred their educational journey.
But amidst this legal maelstrom, the question of remuneration looms large. The legal luminaries, in a gesture both audacious and brazen, have petitioned U.S. District Judge Matthew Kennelly in Chicago for a princely sum of nearly $95 million in legal fees. Hours upon hours of legal toil, totaling over 91,310 hours, have been expended in pursuit of this elusive justice.
The filing unfurls a tapestry of legal rates that would make even the most affluent oligarch blanch – hourly rates soaring as high as $1,495, a testament to the weighty gravitas of the legal eagles’ wings.
But the battle is not theirs alone. Eight valiant souls, the named plaintiffs, have been lauded for their steadfast commitment to the cause. Their valor has not gone unnoticed, as the court is beseeched to bestow upon them $20,000 each in “service” awards, a token of appreciation for their indomitable spirit.
As the legal odyssey continues to unfold, the fate of these legal eagles and their academic adversaries hangs in the balance. Will justice prevail, or will the winds of litigation scatter their hopes like dust in the wind? Only time, that eternal arbiter, holds the answer.
The saga continues, etched in the annals of legal lore, a testament to the enduring pursuit of equity in the hallowed halls of academia.
