Chambers v. Whirlpool Corporation (Ninth Circuit)

The district court awarded plaintiffs’ attorneys nearly $15 million in fees after our clients entered into a favorable class settlement that provided class members with $2 to $5 million in benefits, most of which were coupons. We have asked the Ninth Circuit to reverse that legally erroneous and grossly excessive fee award. We are arguing on appeal that the award violates the attorney-fee provisions of the Class Action Fairness Act that govern coupon settlements, it does not reflect plaintiffs’ lack of success, and the district court should not have increased the fee award well beyond the product of class counsel’s hours and rates.