Friday, February 18, 2011

Attorneys' Fees of $750,000 Were Not Excessive In Light of $50,000 Damages Award

The court granted plaintiffs' motion for attorneys' fees under 35 U.S.C. § 285 and rejected defendant's argument that more than $750,000 in fees where the jury awarded damages of $50,000 was unreasonable. "[T]here is not even a hint of [plaintiffs'] counsel having spent 'excessive time' -- of their having overtried the case. Their vigorous prosecution was necessary to counter [defendant's] vigorous defense. And their billing passed the acid test of the market: 'the best evidence of whether attorney’s fees are reasonable is whether a party has paid them'. . . ."

Meyer Intellectual Properties Limited, et. al. v. Bodum, Inc., 1-06-cv-06329 (ILND February 16, 2011, Order) (Shadur, J.)

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