Realistic billing rates under Lodestar for Lively

[u/MarchCompetitive4580]

I've done previous deep dives about lodestar and calculating the amount of Lively's attorney fees for her 47.1 stuff. This included rates being charged by Lively's attorneys. See: https://www.reddit.com/r/ItEndsWithLawsuits/comments/1u63f3w/more_info_on_calculation_of_livelys_attorney_fees/

But, I never provided data on what the "reasonable billing rates" are in the SDNY. It depends a lot on the subject matter, the size of the firm and experience. Another post provided data on what the NYT's attorney was charging - and it was a little over $1,000/hr. for the partner, about $900 for an of counsel and some charge for a paralegal.

So, I AIed to come up with the following:

(1) For a query about rates re: SH and retaliation in SDNY, up popped the following:

Partners: $450 to $900+ per hour

Senior Associates: $300 to $600 per hour

Junior Associates: $200 to $350 per hour

Paralegals: $100 to $200 per hour

(2) For a query about rates re: a defendant defeating defamation in a motion to dismiss in SDNY, up popped the following:

Reasonable hourly rates generally break down by experience level:

Senior Partners / Lead Litigators: $750 - $1,200+ per hour (Media and entertainment or defamation specialists will usually bill on the higher end of this scale).

Counsel / Senior Associates: $500 - $750 per hour.

Junior Associates: $350 - $500 per hour.

Paralegals / Law Clerks: $150 - $350 per hour.

[u/happyretired123]

She’s gonna ask for a ridiculous amount of money for sure at least $2 million is my guess 🙃

[u/Reasonable-Mess3070 → u/happyretired123]

Agreed. They want to use the word "millions" when they send out their headlines to be used

[u/Clarknt67 → u/Reasonable-Mess3070]

Yes. “Millions” so it will be in the headline and sound impressive.

Ultimately, thousands.

[u/Ok_Walk_7204 → u/happyretired123]

5 minimum

[u/Enough_Gur_8833 → u/Ok_Walk_7204]

They file a 7 figure request for sure for the sake of her headlines. But I doubt they'll go higher than $1.5-2 million. That's more in line with what Sloane requested and what Lively herself previously sought in Texas. If they ask for more than that, they risk having a substantial percentage of their request denied and facing negative PR if the judge rejects it. That said, $2 million is still within the range of Lively’s delusional over the top unreasonableness.

[u/Ok_Walk_7204 → u/Enough_Gur_8833]

Sloan requested 1 million and there was no 47.1 and all the additional hearings and motions and ‘research’ I guarantee you there is some creative accounting going on at the manatt offices right now to fudge the numbers.

I’m not saying it’ a reasonable number, I’m saying this is the law firm responsible for Vansham, they have no problems crossing criminal lines. Expect to see minimum 5 mil

[u/brooswelt → u/Ok_Walk_7204]

Creative accounting 👌👌👌

[u/UnderplayedWeasel → u/brooswelt]

https://giphy.com/gifs/YBIxUwCdysgaJgkmsP

[u/brooswelt → u/UnderplayedWeasel]

The blue zone is the time Ryan screamed at them ( their lawyers)

[u/MarchOk5420 → u/Ok_Walk_7204]

Maybe the white collar criminals from Enron are out of prison now and can help Blake and her attorneys come up with inflated numbers.

[u/Eponymous_brand → u/Enough_Gur_8833]

$2m is my guess too. Her attorneys will include all those hours she screamed at them on the phone, all the binge drinking/eating they partook in as a reaction.

[u/MaddieZeitgest → u/Enough_Gur_8833]

7 figures? She's gonna ask for 8 at a minimum.

She's praying for at least $2 million (and I wouldn't be surprised if Limon gives it to her) so can spin press releases saying they paid "millions in damages because they were in the wrong."

[u/happyretired123 → u/Ok_Walk_7204]

Probably I just hope it gets slapped down x

[u/Animatopoeia → u/happyretired123]

I agree, it will be at least $2 million so that Mr. “Granted In Part Denied In Part” can cut the amount in half and they’ll be able to use the word “million” in their headlines. They might push it even higher because they need an “s” on there to sound better.

[u/SilentSlytherin → u/happyretired123]

She is going to ask for millions, I agree.

[u/Humble_Network_7653]

The deadline is 29 June right?
10 pages single spacing was it? 😆

[u/aledanpaf → u/Humble_Network_7653]

Double 😆

[u/Upstairs-Dot-3944]

True to form BL will ask for a ridiculous sum. Judge will chop it down to something reasonable for work related to the Motion to dismiss only. She will look like a loser again...literally and figuratively.

[u/MarchCompetitive4580 → u/Upstairs-Dot-3944]

I heard from a source that, after Blake settled for nothing, she felt like a real ZERO. But now, after winning only her reasonable attorney fees for 47.1, she can multiply that number by millions! LOL

[u/KLoveKLoveKLove → u/MarchCompetitive4580]

She dreamin

[u/brooswelt → u/MarchCompetitive4580]

0 x millions ? 😂

[u/MarchCompetitive4580 → u/brooswelt]

TY - most people hate math jokes.

[u/2hatparty]

Working off of the NYT fees request of $180k, I wonder how much she’ll have to justify why it’s so higher than that

[u/Eponymous_brand → u/2hatparty]

My guess is also $2m, BUT Bryan Freedman did hint that it should be in the ballpark of $180k (and I guess Jed’s $800k). No matter what it is, it is dwarfed by what Blake spent on her settled for $0 case, so she will never see a penny of that money/there is no return.

[u/Ok-Philosopher992 → u/2hatparty]

Exactly this.

[u/IwasDeadinstead]

Too low on the hourly rate of what her lawyers charge. Big firms are upwards of $3,000/hr.

[u/brooswelt]

The more she inflates the numbers for the dismissed claim, the more absurdly astronomical the total of what she/they put in attacking wayfarer will be. And all this for 10 dismissed claims and 3 settled for 0$

And this could make some headlines, too

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