This program will provide an opportunity for attendees to hear directly from decision-makers from the federal court, state court, and the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination, as they discuss the most effective ways to present and to oppose attorneys fees petitions.
Experienced will also address how fee-shifting statutes affect their prosecution and defense of a claim, from the beginning of their representation to the time that a fee petition is made. There will be a specific opportunity to present your own questions to the panel and to network with the panelists and colleagues at the conclusion of the seminar.
Course materials will be include valuable summaries of the legal principles applicable to fee petitions, samples of fee petitions and oppositions, as well as decisions related to fee petitions from the state and federal courts as well as from the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination.
Topics & Agenda:
I. Brief review of applicable legal standards
II. How these standards are applied in real time:
a. Perspectives from the federal court, the state court, and the MCAD about the most effective ways to present and defend against fee petitions;
b. Perspectives from experienced practitioners on the effect of fee-shifting statutes on the prosecution and defense of a claim.
III. Special topics, including: factors that may enhance or reduce a request for an attorneys fee award; treatment of multiple claims; treatment of work done by multiple attorneys; degree of success; treatment of settlement efforts.
The panel will include:
Hon. Judith G. Dein
Magistrate Judge, United States District Court for the District of Massachusestts
Hon. Elizabeth M. Fahey
Associate Justice of the Superior Court for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Eugenia Guastaferri
Senior Counsel and Hearing Officer, Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination
Ellen J. Zucker
Burns & Levinson LLP
William E. Hannum III
Schwartz Hannum PC
Anne L. Josephson
Kotin, Crabtree & Strong, LLP (Moderator)
If you intend to take a course for CLE credit, please make sure your state is listed in the "Accreditation" section to the upper right of the program description. Accreditation displayed is unique to the purchased program format (live conference, live webcast, on demand, podcast). Credit totals listed for live conferences are the maximum credits available. Credits issued will be based upon actual time in attendance. Credit totals for other formats are for complete programs. Partial credit is not available for any online or downloadable format.
West LegalEdcenter will not provide accreditation for states not listed.
This product is intended for individual use by the named purchaser. Group viewings for online programs may be arranged for five or more attorneys within the same organization prior to viewing by emailing west.wlec-sales@thomson.com.
