Attorney's fees

• Author: Aaron B. Maduff
• Pages: 411-416

ATTORNEY’S FEES

18-1 LITIGATING SEXUAL HARASSMENT & SEX DISCRIMINATION CASES §18.1

CHAPTER 18: ATTORNEY’S FEES

§18.1 TASK: OPPOSE PETITION FOR ATTORNEY’S FEES

§18.1.1 WHAT AND WHY

Usually, unless the case is totally frivolous, the task of responding to the fee petition will be one for the

defendant-employer.

§18.1.1.1 Title VII Fee-Shifting Provisions

Title VII is a fee-shifting statute which provides that the prevailing party may recover its attorney’s fees from

the losing party. 42 U.S.C. §2000e-5(k). Title VII states that “the court, in its discretion, may allow the prevailing

party, other than the Commission or the United States, a reasonable attorney’s fee as part of the costs. …” Id. Many

state employment discrimination statutes also contain fee-shifting provisions like those in Title VII.

§18.1.1.2 Fees Usually Shift to Plaintiff



defendant-employer prevails in the litigation, there is little chance of recovering attorney’s fees. Christianburg Garment

Co. v. EEOC, 434 U.S. 412 (1978); Newman v. Piggie Park Enterprises, Inc., 390 U.S. 400 (1968). Winning a verdict or





unreasonable, or without foundation.” See Christianburg Garment at 421. See also Lezama v. Clark County,

Nevada, 2020 WL 2950670 (9th Cir., June 3, 2020); Providence Behavioral Health v. Grant Road Public Utility

District, 902 F.3d 448, 460 (5th Cir. 2018); Peeples v. City of Detroit, 891 F.3d 622, 639 (6th Cir. 2018). The same



brought pursuant to 42 U.S.C. §1983. See e.g. Carter v. Incorporated Village of Ocean Beach, 759 F.3d 159, 163

(2nd Cir. 2014); Scoggins v. Lee’s Crossing Homeowners Association, 718 F.3d 262, 275 (4th Cir. 2013). Although

there is a “heightened standard,” fees can be awarded where a party acts unreasonably in initiating the litigation.

See EEOC v. Propak Logistics, Inc., 746 F.3d 145 (4th Cir. 2014). This heightened standard means that even if a

case is dismissed on the pleadings, that fact alone does not entitle a defendant to attorney’s fees. Green v. City of

, 764 Fed. Appx. 548 (6th Cir. 2019).



and, hence, entitled to an award of reasonable attorney’s fees and costs. Farrar v. Hobby, 506 U.S. 103 (1992);

Brandau v. Kansas, 168 F.3d 1179 (10th Cir. 1999); Koopman v. Water District No. 1, 41 F.3d 1417 (10th Cir. 1994).

 

fees based on nominal recovery because while he was awarded injunctive relief, he did not prove discrimination.).

§18.1.2 WHEN

-



§18.1.3 HOW

§18.1.3.1 Review Fee Petition and Time Records



Practice Note: Compromise with opposing counsel, if possible

Consider trying to reach a compromise solution on the fee petition with opposing counsel. Review Form

50 (Document Request to Defendant). After having now lost a trial, do you really want to send this doc-

ument to your client, who is probably not in the best of moods anyway? “In general, a prevailing party is

entitled to attorney’s fees for the time spent preparing the fee petition.” , 2020

    

