united states district court district of …...of nichols kaster’s law firm resume is attached...

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT DISTRICT OF MASSACHUSETTS

Melissa Velazquez and Frances Fuentes-Noriega, individually and as representatives of a class of similarly situated persons, and on behalf of the Massachusetts Financial Services Company Defined Contribution Plan and the Massachusetts Financial Services Company MFSavings Retirement Plan,

Plaintiffs,

v.

Massachusetts Financial Services Company d/b/a MFS Investment Management, the Massachusetts Financial Services Company Retirement Committee, and the Massachusetts Financial Services Company Retirement Investment Committee, Defendants.

Case No. 1:17-CV-11249 (RWZ) DECLARATION OF KAI RICHTER

I, Kai Richter, hereby submit this Declaration in support of Plaintiffs’ Motion for Approval

of Attorneys’ Fees, Expenses, and Class Representative Service Awards.

Professional Overview

1. I am a partner at Nichols Kaster, PLLP (“Nichols Kaster”), and I am one of the

attorneys appointed by the Court to represent the Settlement Class1 in the above-captioned action.

See ECF No. 94.

2. I am currently licensed in good standing to practice law in the State of Minnesota,

and also have been admitted to practice in several federal district courts and appellate courts across

the country (including before this Court pro hac vice). A list of jurisdictions and courts in which I

am admitted is set forth below:

1 Capitalized terms in this Declaration have the meaning assigned in the Settlement Agreement. See ECF No. 91-1.

Case 1:17-cv-11249-RWZ Document 99 Filed 10/08/19 of 15

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Supreme Court of the United States 1st Circuit Court of Appeals 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals 6th Circuit Court of Appeals 8th Circuit Court of Appeals 9th Circuit Court of Appeals

U.S.D.C. for the Eastern District of Michigan U.S.D.C. Western District of New York U.S.D.C. for the District of Minnesota

Minnesota Supreme Court I am in good standing in every jurisdiction in which I have been admitted to practice.

3. I have been actively engaged in the practice of law since 1999, and have substantial

class action experience and other complex litigation experience, as outlined in my prior

Declaration in support of preliminary approval of the Parties’ Class Action Settlement (ECF No.

91).

4. Since joining Nichols Kaster in April 2010, my practice has focused exclusively on

class action cases. I have been appointed class counsel for litigation or settlement purposes in

approximately twenty class cases. In connection with those cases, I have personally negotiated

class action settlements providing for more than $225 million in available relief to class members

nationwide.

5. The principal types of cases that I have handled at the firm are consumer class

actions and ERISA class actions.

6. As a leader of our firm’s Consumer Class Action Team, I spearheaded class action

litigation against several major financial institutions, including JPMorgan Chase, Bank of

America, U.S. Bank, Wells Fargo, Citibank, GMAC Mortgage, RBS Citizens, and MidFirst Bank.

For example, I successfully argued contested class certification motions in Hofstetter v. Chase

Home Finance, LLC, 2011 WL 1225900 (N.D. Cal. Mar. 31, 2011) and Ellsworth v. U.S. Bank,


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N.A., 2014 WL 2734953 (N.D. Cal. June 13, 2014), successfully argued before the First Circuit

Court of Appeals in Lass v. Bank of America, N.A., 695 F.3d 129 (1st Cir. 2012), and successfully

argued and/or briefed dispositive motions in numerous other consumer class cases, including

Jackson v. Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., 2013 WL 5945732 (W.D. Pa. Nov. 7, 2013); Leghorn v. Wells

Fargo Bank, N.A., 950 F. Supp. 2d 1093 (N.D. Cal. 2013); Casey v. Citibank, N.A., 915 F. Supp.

2d 255 (N.D.N.Y. 2013); Berger v. Bank of America, N.A., 2013 WL 1164497 (D. Mass. Mar. 21,

2013); Morris v. Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., 2012 WL 3929805 (W.D. Pa. Sept. 7, 2012); Ulbrich v.

GMAC Mortgage, LLC, 2012 WL 3516499 (Aug. 15, 2012); Walls v. JPMorgan Chase Bank,

N.A., 2012 WL 3096660 (W.D. Ky. July 30, 2012); Skansgaard v. Bank of America, N.A., 896 F.

Supp. 2d 944 (W.D. Wash. 2011); and Wulf v. Bank of America, N.A., 798 F. Supp. 2d 586 (E.D.

Pa. June 27, 2011).

7. I am currently co-leading our firm’s ERISA Class Action Team. In addition to the

present case, the firm’s lawyers (including myself) have been appointed class counsel for litigation

and/or settlement purposes in eleven other ERISA cases, as set forth below:

• Brotherston v. Putnam Investments, LLC, 1:15-cv-13825 (D. Mass.);

• Andrus v. NY Life Ins. Co., 1:16-cv-05698 (S.D.N.Y.);

• Main v. American Airlines, Inc., 3:16-cv-01033 (N.D. Tex.);

• Bowers v. BB&T Corp., 1:15-cv-00732 (M.D.N.C.);

• Urakhchin v. Allianz Asset Management of America, L.P., 8:15-cv-01614

(C.D. Cal.);

• Habib v. M&T Corp., 1:16-cv-00375 (W.D.N.Y.);

• Johnson v. Fujitsu Tech. & Bus. of America, Inc., No. 5:15-cv-03698 (N.D.

Cal.);


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• Wildman v. American Century Servs., LLC, No. 4:16-cv-00737 (W.D. Mo.);

• Clark v. Oasis Outsourcing Holdings Inc., No. 9:18-cv-81101 (S.D. Fla.); and

• Stevens v. SEI Investments Company, No. 2:18-cv-04205-NIQA (E.D. Pa.)

• Moitoso v. FMR LLC, No. 1:18-cv-12122 (D. Mass.)

8. Our firm took the Putnam and American Century cases to trial in April 2017 and

September 2018, respectively.2 We received final court approval of settlements in New York Life,

American Airlines, BB&T, Fujitsu, Allianz, and Oasis, and preliminary approval in SEI (final

fairness hearing scheduled for December 18, 2019). We won contested class certification motions

in BB&T, Allianz, American Century, and Putnam. We also defeated motions to dismiss in several

of these cases in whole or in part (Putnam, American Airlines, BB&T, Allianz, M&T, Fujitsu, and

American Century), as well as in this case and Morin v. Essentia Health, 2017 WL 4083133 (Sept.

14, 2017), report and recommendation affirmed, 2017 WL 4876281 (D. Minn. Oct. 27, 2017).

9. The firm is viewed as a leader in ERISA 401(k) cases. According to a recent

Bloomberg BNA article, “Nichols Kaster has been the driving force” behind recent 401(k) self-

dealing litigation. See Jacklyn Wille, Deutsche Bank Can’t Shake 401(k) Fee Lawsuit, Bloomberg

BNA (Oct. 17, 2016). Attorneys from Nichols Kaster have been interviewed by National Public

Radio (for the program “All Things Considered”), the Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, Financial

Times, Investment News, Bankrate.com, and several trade publications in connection with their

ERISA work. I also have spoken by invitation at several national conferences and seminars on

ERISA litigation, including (1) the Professional Liability Directors & Officers Liability

Conference (February 6, 2019); (2) the American Bankers Association Insurance Risk

2 Although we did not prevail before the trial court in Putnam, we recently obtained a favorable ruling on appeal in Brotherston v. Putnam Invs., LLC, 907 F.3d 17 (1st Cir. 2018), mandate stayed pending pet. for cert. (1st Cir. Oct. 29, 2018).


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Management Conference (February 5, 2019) (3) the American Law Institute’s webcast on

Excessive Fee Litigation (November 28, 2018); (4) the American Law Institute’s tax-exempt and

government plans education series (September 24, 2018); (5) the American Conference Institute’s

National Forum on ERISA Litigation (March 1, 2017 and November 2, 2017); and (6) the

Retirement Advisor Council’s annual meeting (May 22, 2018). I am also scheduled to speak at an

upcoming American Law Institute Employee Benefits Program on October 24, 2019.

10. Prior to joining Nichols Kaster, I served as the Manager of the Complex Litigation

Division of the Office of the Minnesota Attorney General. During my tenure there (from February

2008 to March 2010), I supervised and handled a large number of complex matters. For example,

in June and September of 2009, I co-chaired a three-week trial involving claims for fraudulent

sales of annuities and legal plans to over 1,200 Minnesota senior citizens, which ultimately resulted

in a favorable judgment from the trial court. In addition, I handled a significant consumer

enforcement action against Sprint Nextel related to wrongfully-imposed contracts and termination

fees, which resulted in a comprehensive settlement in October of 2009.

11. I also had significant prior class action experience in private practice, including two

multi-week class action trials: a statewide wage and hour class action against Wal-Mart Stores in

Minnesota (tried in 2007) and a landmark class action against the University of Michigan Law

School. See Grutter v. Bollinger, 539 U.S. 306 (2003).

12. I received my law degree from the University of Minnesota Law School in 1999,

and my B. A. from Dartmouth College in 1995.

Law Firm Overview

13. Nichols Kaster has been engaged in the practice of law for over 30 years, and is

devoted to representing the interests of both consumers and employees. The firm has offices in


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Minneapolis and San Francisco, and currently employs 35 attorneys and a sizeable staff of

paralegals, legal assistants, class action clerks, and information technology professionals. A copy

of Nichols Kaster’s law firm resume is attached hereto as Exhibit 1.

14. Nichols Kaster has extensive class action and collective action experience. The firm

has been appointed lead counsel or co-counsel on hundreds of class and collective actions, and has

recovered over $750 million for its clients.

15. Nichols Kaster was named one of the top 50 elite trial firms by National Law

Journal in September 2014, and also has been ranked as a Best Law Firm by U.S. News and World

Report. In addition, Nichols Kaster has received praise from numerous courts for its work.

16. The firm’s lawyers have litigated dozens of cases through trial, and have managed

discovery in cases involving millions of pages of documents. The firm is also well regarded for its

appellate work, and recently has been involved in two successful appeals before the United States

Supreme Court, Perez v. Mortgage Bankers Ass’n, 135 S.Ct. 1199 (2015) and Kasten v. Saint-

Gobain Performance Plastics Corp., 131 S. Ct. 1325 (2010).

17. The Court’s Order granting class certification (ECF No. 94) appointed Nichols

Kaster to serve as Class Counsel in this action, and the Court’s subsequent Order granting

preliminary approval of the Parties’ class action Settlement (ECF No. 96) re-appointed Nichols

Kaster to serve as Class Counsel.

Work Performed by Class Counsel

18. As a result of our firm’s experience handling similar cases, and our efforts in this

matter, we were able to obtain a successful result for the Settlement Class.

19. Nichols Kaster devoted a significant amount of time and effort to this case. Among

other things, we:


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• conducted an in-depth investigation of the Plan’s investments, the 401(k)

marketplace, and the cost and performance of alternative investment options;

• drafted a detailed, 67-page Complaint (ECF No. 1) and a subsequent First Amended

Complaint (ECF NO. 60);

• responded to Defendants’ Motion to Dismiss the Complaint, and defeated the

motion in substantial part;

• drafted a comprehensive set of discovery requests;

• reviewed more than 90,000 pages of documents produced by Defendants;

• produced more than 3,500 pages of documents and responded to Interrogatories;

• served subpoenas on four non-parties and reviewed over 2,000 pages of documents

produced by those non-parties;

• deposed 4 fact witnesses;

• defended Plaintiff Frances Fuentes-Noriega’s deposition;

• drafted a motion to compel discovery;3

• worked closely with experts and prepared a lengthy mediation statement and reply

in advance of mediation;

• engaged in a full-day mediation session before David Geronemus of JAMS

Mediation on May 9, 2019;

• drafted the Settlement Agreement and exhibits thereto, including the Settlement

Notices, Former Participant Claim Form, and the proposed preliminary and final

approval orders;

3 Although drafts of the motion to compel and supporting memorandum were prepared, they were not completed and filed with the Court due to the settlement that was reached. Richter Decl. ¶ 19.


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• drafted and filed Plaintiffs’ Motion for Preliminary Approval of Class Action

Settlement and supporting papers;

• invited bids from qualified settlement administration firms, and selected Analytics

Consulting LLC (“Analytics”) after reviewing the various bids that were submitted;

• worked with Analytics to create a settlement website and telephone line for Class

Members who wished to obtain additional information about the Settlement;

• communicated with Class Members who contacted our office; and

• prepared the present motion and supporting papers.

20. After the date of this Declaration, we expect to perform additional work on behalf

of the Settlement Class, including:

• researching, drafting, and filing Plaintiffs’ motion for final approval of the

Settlement;

• researching, drafting, and filing responses to any objections to the Settlement;

• communicating with the Settlement Fiduciary engaged by Defendants as part of the

independent review of the proposed release on behalf of the Plan (as required by

Prohibited Transaction Exemption 2003-39 and Article 3 of the Settlement

Agreement);

• preparing for and attending the Fairness Hearing;

• if final approval is granted, supervising Analytics and the Escrow Agent (Alerus)

to ensure proper and efficient distribution of payments to the Class Members;

• responding to questions from Class Members; and

• taking other actions necessary to support the Settlement until the conclusion of the

Settlement Period.


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21. Our co-counsel, Block and Leviton, LLP and MKLLC Law, also have contributed

time and labor to this case. Among other things, they have:

• worked with Plaintiffs and kept them up to date on the progress in the case;

• communicated with other class members;

• reviewed the Complaint and other case filings;

• advised lead counsel Nichols Kaster on questions of local customs and procedure;

and

• reviewed and responded to communications from class members;

22. Attached hereto as Exhibit 2 is a true and correct copy of Nichols Kaster’s

timekeeper summary in this action, excluding any timekeepers who worked de minimus hours. As

reflected by this summary, Nichols Kaster attorneys expended 1,736.6 hours pursuing this matter

through September 27, 2019, and Nichols Kaster professional staff (including paralegals, law

clerks, legal assistants, class action clerks, and information technology professionals) expended an

additional 368.6 hours, for a total of 2,105.2 hours. Local counsel from Block and Leviton report

that they have expended 3.6 hours, and Block and Leviton professional staff expended an

additional 6.1 hours. Counsel from MKLLC Law report that they have expended 156 hours, and

MKLLC Law professional staff expended an additional 117 hours. We would be happy to provide

detailed billing records if the Court deems them necessary or helpful.

23. Nichols Kaster’s standard billing rates for ERISA actions such as this range from

$625 to $875 per hour for attorneys with more than 10 years of experience, $425 to $575 per hour

for attorneys with 10 years or less experience, and $250 per hour for paralegals and clerks. Co-

counsel’s rates are consistent with these figures as well.

24. In setting these rates, our firm is cognizant of the rates approved in other ERISA


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class action cases (as set forth in our accompanying Memorandum of Law), as well as the rates

charged by the defense bar in this field. Attached hereto as Exhibit 3 are excerpts of a report (the

“Valeo Report”) showing that among ERISA practice groups within the top 200 law firms, the

2017 hourly rate range for senior partners was $320-$1,363 (with an average of $835), for partners

was $296-1,202 (with an average of $751), and for senior associates was $238-$938 (with an

average of $580).

25. As noted above, Class Counsel expect to contribute additional time and resources

relating to Plaintiffs’ forthcoming motion for final approval, the Fairness Hearing, and subsequent

Settlement administration and oversight. Based on my experience supporting and supervising

similar settlements, I expect that Class Counsel will expend at least an additional 50 to 150 hours

of professional time after the date of this Declaration.

26. All of the work of Class Counsel has been undertaken on a contingent basis. To

date, Class Counsel have not been compensated for any of this work. Based on the hourly rates

and work performed, the total lodestar for our firm amounts to $1,033,303, and the total lodestar

for all counsel amounts to $1,181,690.50.

27. Because of our experience litigating similar ERISA cases, we were able to

efficiently yet effectively litigate this action. In my professional opinion, and based on my

personal knowledge of the work that was performed and the requirements of this case and similar

cases, all of the time expended on this action by Class Counsel was reasonable and necessary.

Class Counsel’s Costs and Expenses

28. In connection with the action, Nichols Kaster also has advanced a significant

amount of expenses.


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29. Because our firm handled this action on a contingent basis, we have not yet received

reimbursement for any of these expenses.

30. As of the date of this Declaration, Nichols Kaster has incurred $172,678.18 and

local counsel Block and Leviton, LLP has incurred $1,300 in litigation-related expenses in

connection with this matter. These expenses are broken down below:

Category Cost Expert fees $123,492.50 Travel Expenses $20,871.62 Mediation $10,250 Depositions $7,543.95 Financial Data Charges $7,230.85 Postage, Shipping, Copies $741.96 Westlaw/PACER $1,574.30 Filing fees $1,300 Process/Courier Service $865 Public records $108 TOTAL $173,978.18

31. These expenses do not include expenses of settlement administration, which are

broken out separately below. See infra at ¶¶ 34-36. In the event that the Court would like further

detail or documentation concerning these expenses, we would be happy to provide it.

32. In my professional opinion, and based on my experience prosecuting this action

and overseeing the conduct of the litigation, all of these expenses were reasonable and necessarily

incurred in connection with the action.

33. In addition to these expenses, it is anticipated Nichols Kaster will incur additional

expenses in connection with this case going forward, including certain incidental expenses that

will be incurred in connection with appearing for the final approval hearing (meals, ground

transportation, etc.). We do not intend to seek reimbursement of those additional expenses.


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Settlement Administration Expenses

Analytics

34. Nichols Kaster solicited bids from several settlement administration firms in

connection with this action. After reviewing the various bids, we selected Analytics Consulting,

LLC (“Analytics”) because Analytics has extensive experience handling class action settlements,

including ERISA settlements, and submitted the least expensive bid. Analytics’ firm resume is

attached hereto as Exhibit 4.

35. Based on the bid submitted by Analytics, it will cost $19,508 to administer the

settlement in this action. This is reasonable in light of the bids that our firm received.

36. Analytics has diligently carried out its duties as Settlement Administrator by,

among other things, (1) working with Class Counsel and defense counsel to assemble a list of

Class Members based on data supplied by Plan recordkeepers; (2) preparing and mailing the

Settlement Notices; (3) searching for valid addresses for any Settlement Class Members whose

Notices were returned as undeliverable; (4) establishing a telephone support line for Class

Members; (5) creating and maintaining the settlement website; and (6) communicating regularly

with the Parties regarding the status of settlement administration. Analytics will also review the

Claim Forms submitted by Former Participants. In addition, upon final approval of the Settlement,

Analytics will facilitate delivery of settlement payments to Class Members as provided by the

Settlement.

Alerus

37. Class Counsel selected Alerus to perform the duties of the Escrow Agent under the

Settlement Agreement. Alerus has agreed to perform those duties for a fee of $2,500. Alerus

successfully performed a similar role with respect to the ERISA settlements overseen by our firm


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in the New York Life, American Airlines, Fujitsu, Allianz and Oasis cases referenced above (see

supra at ¶¶ 7-8). Alerus has performed its role competently in these cases and the present case,

and I believe its fee is reasonable in light of the services provided and the size of the Settlement

Fund.

Settlement Fiduciary

38. Additional administrative expenses will be incurred relating to the review of the

proposed release on behalf of the Plan by the independent fiduciary appointed pursuant to PTE

2003-39 and Article III of the Settlement. Under the Settlement Agreement, Defendants are

responsible for arranging the required review by the independent fiduciary, and the expense is an

Administrative Expense that may be paid from the Settlement Fund. We understand that the

Defendants engaged Newport Trust Company to perform the role of the Settlement Fiduciary, and

the fee for Newport Trust Company’s services in this matter will be $25,000.

Assistance of the Class Representatives

39. It has been my honor to represent the named Plaintiffs in this matter.4

40. Throughout the course of this action, Ms. Velazquez and Ms. Fuentes-Noriega have

been mindful of their responsibilities as Class Representatives, and have actively participated in

the action. Among other things, Plaintiffs (1) reviewed the operative complaints bearing their

names; (2) produced documents and information to our firm prior to suit and during discovery; (3)

appeared for deposition (Ms. Fuentes-Noriega only) ; (4) appeared by telephone for the mediation;

(5) communicated with our firm throughout the course of the action and kept informed about the

case; and (6) discussed the Settlement with our firm and reviewed the Settlement Agreement.

4 In connection with the representation, the named Plaintiffs agreed to a one-third contingency fee, and to reimbursement of expenses in the event that the action was successfully resolved.


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41. Based on the time and assistance that the named Plaintiffs have provided as Class

Representatives, and their initiative in pursing this action, I believe that the requested class

representative service awards are reasonable and appropriate. As noted in our motion papers, the

amount that the Class Representatives are seeking ($10,000 each) is consistent with other ERISA

cases.

No Objections

42. The Settlement Notices that were approved by the Court disclosed the terms of the

Settlement and also contained a “Statement of Attorneys’ Fees and Costs, Administrative

Expenses, and Class Representatives’ Compensation Sought in the Class Action.” To date, none

of the class members have objected to the Settlement terms or the proposed fees, expenses, or

service awards.

Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1746, I declare under penalty of perjury that the foregoing is true

and correct.

Dated: October 8, 2019 s/Kai Richter Kai Richter


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CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

I hereby certify that on October 8, 2019, a true and correct copy of this Declaration of Kai

Richter was served by CM/ECF to the parties registered to the Court’s CM/ECF system.

Dated: October 8, 2019 s/Kai Richter Kai Richter


EXHIBIT 1

Case 1:17-cv-11249-RWZ Document 99-1 Filed 10/08/19 Page 1 of 34

.

| Table of Contents

Firm Overview...................................................................................................................................... 2

Accolades .............................................................................................................................................. 3

Judicial Recognition ............................................................................................................................ 4

Notable Litigation Results .................................................................................................................. 11

Nichols Kaster Attorneys ................................................................................................................... 24

Nichols Kaster, PLLP Firm Resume


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Firm Overview

Over the last 40 years, Nichols Kaster has enjoyed a sterling reputation as a top employment and consumer plaintiffs’ litigation firm. We have represented hundreds of thousands of employees and consumers nationwide on a variety of legal issues arising under both state and federal laws.

The Firm’s National Wage and Hour team represents employees in class and collective actions seeking to recover unpaid wages in circumstances where employers misclassify workers or otherwise fail to compensate them for all hours worked, pursuant to minimum wage and overtime rates, or as required by contract. The Firm also represents groups of employees seeking to recover unpaid commissions and unlawfully pooled tips.

Nichols Kaster represents workers and consumers who have endured discrimination and who have had their civil rights violated on either an individual or class-wide basis. The Firm’s employment group is also dedicated to assisting individual employees in Minnesota and surrounding states with a variety of legal needs, including addressing discrimination; harassment; retaliation; accommodation and leave issues; contract, severance, and non-compete disputes; as well as defending against licensure complaints.

The Firm also assists employees and retirement plan participants in protecting their 401(k) investments and other benefits. Nichols Kaster challenges breaches of fiduciary duty relating to

excessive fees, underperforming funds, imprudently managed accounts, and failure to properly pay benefits.

Nichols Kaster is dedicated to protecting consumer rights through its National Consumer Class Action team. Over the years, the Firm has represented consumers with a variety of violations, primarily on a class-wide basis. The Firm led the way in forced-placed flood and hazard litigation and with claims under the Fair Credit and Reporting Act.

Nichols Kaster also represents whistleblowers and relators who have “blown the whistle” on illegal activity. These cases involve the

Employee Representation

- Wage & Hour Violations - 401(k) and Benefit Breaches - Qui Tam/False Claims - Wage Fixing - Equal Pay Violations - Harassment - Discrimination - Retaliation - Medical leave - Failure to Accommodate - Federal Railway Safety Act Violations - Breach of Contract - Severance - Non-Compete Agreements - Defamation

Consumer Representation

- Forced-Placed Insurance - Credit Reporting - Improper Background Checks - Student Loans - Predatory Lending - Interest Overcharges and Misapplication of Loan Payments

- Billing Practices - Deceptive Practices - Debt Collection Violations


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reporting of possible government fraud, mishandling of toxic substances, violations of tax or securities laws, discrimination in education, failure to provide access to public facilities, and more. Nichols Kaster represents individuals who have brought claims on behalf of the government against entities who have defrauded the government under the False Claims Act (also known as “qui tam” lawsuits).

No matter the type of claim, Nichols Kaster helps everyday people seek redress against big corporations.

Accolades

U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT has continued to name Nichols Kaster as a Best Law Firm® and honored individual lawyers at the Firm as Best Lawyers®, consecutively since 2012. LAW360 has listed Nichols Kaster as a top plaintiffs’ employment law firm, and MINNESOTA LAWYER has declared it one of Minnesota’s top 100 firms. In 2018, eight of Nichols Kaster’s attorneys were named Super Lawyers® and ten Rising Stars by SUPER LAWYERS MAGAZINE. Steve Smith and Matthew Frank were announced as the 2017 Minnesota Lawyers of the Year. On Martindale Hubbell, the firm has a 5 out of 5 peer rating.

Together THE NATIONAL LAW JOURNAL and LAW.COM named Nichols Kaster a top 50 firm for Elite Trial Lawyers “that are doing the most creative and substantial work on the plaintiffs side.” Introducing America’s Elite Trial Lawyers, THE NAT’L LAW J. (Sept. 8, 2014).

In 2009, Nichols Kaster was ranked as one of the top ten busiest FLSA firms in the country by Litigation Almanac 360, which conducted a study of over 500,000 federal cases and received input from more than 200 law firms. Nichols Kaster was the only plaintiffs’ firm in the top ten.


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Judicial Recognition

Nichols Kaster provides employees and consumers with significant results, including substantial settlements, trial victories, and ground-breaking determinations on important legal questions. The Firm’s attorneys fight hard for their clients, vigorously litigating complex actions against top national defense firms. Courts have recognized Nichols Kaster’s successes and extensive experience and have appointed the Firm as lead or co-lead counsel on hundreds of class and collective actions. Below are just a few examples of this recognition.

In this matter as well, Class Counsel displayed skill and determination. It is unsurprising that only a few firms might invest the considerable resources to ERISA class actions such as this, which require considerable resources and hold uncertain potential for recovery.

The Honorable Judge Catherine C. Eagles

Sims v. BB&T Corporation. et al., No. 1:15-cv-841 (M.D.N.C., May 5, 2019).

[C]lass counsel achieved a strong result through skillful litigation and settlement negotiation. After filing a detailed complaint and amended complaint, working through a substantial discovery process, litigating a motion to dismiss, and undergoing mediation and settlement discussions, class counsel obtained a settlement of $14 million and a mandatory request for proposal that will help ensure quality management of class members’ 401(k) funds down the road. Regarding quality of representation, the litigation and settlement appear by all measures to be the work of skillful and experienced attorneys with significant expertise in the ERISA context.

The Honorable Judge Nathanael M. Cousins Johnson v. Fujitsu Technology & Business of America, Inc. et al., No. 5:16-cv-03698 (N.D. Cal., May 11, 2018).

The high quality of Nichols Kaster’s representation strongly supports approval of the requested fees. The Court has previously commended counsel for their excellent lawyering. The point is worth reiterating here. Nichols Kaster was energetic, effective, and creative throughout this long litigation. The Court found Nichols Kaster’s briefs and arguments first-rate. And the documents and deposition transcripts which the Court reviewed in the course of resolving motions revealed the firm’s far-sighted and strategic approach to discovery . . . Further, unlike in many class actions, plaintiffs’ counsel did not build their case by piggybacking on regulatory investigation or settlement . . . The


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lawyers at Nichols Kaster can genuinely claim to have been the authors of their clients’ success.

The Honorable Judge Paul A. Engelmayer Hart v. RCI Hospitality Holdings, Inc., No. 09 Civ. 3043, 2015 WL 5577713 (S.D.N.Y. Sept. 22, 2015)

I want to commend all of you for the excellent work that you did in conjunction with the special master and the court’s technical advisor . . . I’m satisfied that this settlement is fair and reasonable given all the risk and expense of further litigation . . . .

Honorable Judge Kathryn Vratil Sibley v. Sprint Nextel Corp., No. 08-cv-2063 (D. Kan. Dec. 20, 2018)

[T]he attorneys at Nichols Kaster, PLLP are qualified, experienced, and competent, as evidenced by their background in litigating class-action cases involving FCRA violations. . . . . As noted above, Plaintiffs’ attorneys are experienced and skilled consumer class action litigators who achieved a favorable result for the Settlement Classes.

The Honorable Chief Judge Deborah Chasanow Singleton v. Domino’s Pizza, LLC, 976 F. Supp. 2d 665 (D. Md. 2013)

[T]his case’s early resolution can partly be attributed to counsel’s experience representing thousands of employees in wage and hour cases for thirty years, particularly within the oil and gas industry.

The Honorable Judge Dale Drozd McCulloch v. Baker Hughes Inteq Drilling Fluids, Inc., No. 1:16-cv-00157 (E.D. Cal. Nov. 2, 2017)

Plaintiffs retained counsel with significant experience in prosecuting force-placed insurance cases, and other courts in this district have appointed them class counsel in force-placed insurance cases . . . Counsel have worked vigorously to identify and investigate the claims in this case, and, as this litigation has revealed, understand the applicable law and have represented their clients vigorously and effectively.

The Honorable Magistrate Judge Laurel Beeler Ellsworth v. U.S. Bank, N.A., No. C 12-02506, 2014 WL 2734953 (N.D. Cal. June 13, 2014)


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Thank you for all of your good work here. I know that it was really an extraordinarily complex case, and so well done.

The Honorable Judge Kathryn Vratil Harlow v. Sprint Nextel Corp., No. 08-2222 (D. Kan. Dec. 10, 2018)

[Nichols Kaster has] considerable experience in litigating wage and hour class and collective actions.

The award . . . follows efficient effort on the part of Class Counsel to achieve a sizeable recovery for the Class Members.

The Honorable Magistrate Judge Katherine Menendez Allen v. All Temporaries, Inc., No. 16:cv-04409 (D. Minn. Feb. 14, 2018)

[T]he quality of representation, as evidenced by the substantial recovery and the qualifications of the attorneys, is high. As then District Judge Gerard E. Lynch recognized, Nichols Kaster is “a reputable plaintiff-side employment litigation boutique with a nationwide practice and special expertise prosecuting FLSA cases.”

The Honorable Judge Sidney H. Stein Febus v. Guardian 1st Funding Grp., LLC, 870 F. Supp. 2d 337 (S.D.N.Y. 2012)

[T]his court finds that counsel possess more than sufficient experience to represent Plaintiffs fairly and adequately in reaching a fair and equitable settlement in this FLSA collective action . . . The parties are represented by competent and reputable counsel.

The Honorable Judge Tony N. Leung Mayfield-Dillard v. Direct Home Health Care, No. 1:16-cv-3489 (D. Minn., Dec. 18, 2017)

I think it was just some very efficient and good work on the part of the plaintiffs’ attorney that brought you to the point [of settlement].”

The Honorable Judge Josephine L. Staton


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Urakhchin v. Allianz Asset Mgm’t of Am., L.P., No. 8:15-cv-01614 (C.D. Cal. July 27, 2018)

Counsel’s experience in vigorously litigating class/collective wage and hour actions, plus their experience with this industry were essential in obtaining this favorable and efficient result.

The Honorable Magistrate Judge Jonathon E. Hawley Woods v. Club Cabaret, Inc., 1:15-cv-01213, 2017 WL 4054523 (C.D. IL, May, 17, 2017)

The settlement was the result of arm’s-length negotiations between experienced counsel. Class Counsel is well known by this Court for their expertise in wage and hour litigation.

The Honorable Judge Michael J. Davis Burch v. Qwest Commc’ns Intl., No. 06-03523 (D. Minn. Sept. 14, 2012)

I want to say that both sides here have performed at an admirable level. And I wish that the lawyers of all cases would perform at your level. I say this to both of you, because you have you have been of assistance to the Court.

The Honorable Judge William Alsup Hofstetter v. Chase Home Fin., LLC, No. 10-01313 (N.D. Cal. Nov. 7, 2011) (transcript)

The Court finds that counsel is competent and capable of exercising all responsibilities as Class Counsel for the Settlement Class.

The Honorable Judge Richard H. Kyle Bible v. Gen. Revenue Corp., 12-CV-1236 (D. Minn. Jan. 7, 2014)

Over the past two years, Class Counsel has been active in all stages of litigation and has particularly benefitted Plaintiffs through capable handling of motion practice. For


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example, Plaintiffs obtained summary judgment on a key issue involving the Morillion doctrine and defeated summary judgment on Defendants’ de minimis defense.

The Honorable Judge Virginia A. Phillips Cervantez v. Celestica Corp., No. 07-729, 2010 WL 11465133, *7 (C.D. Cal. Oct. 29, 2010)

[T]he combined experience of Plaintiffs’ counsel as well as the fact that employment law, particularly the representation of employees, forms a large part of both the firm and counsel’s practice persuades this Court that the law firm of Nichols Kaster, PLLP, and its attorneys Steven Andrew Smith and Anna P. Prakash will more than adequately protect the interests of the Class Members.

The Honorable Magistrate Judge Tony N. Leung Fearn v. Blazin’ Beier Ranch, Inc., No. 11-743 (D. Minn. Jan. 30, 2012)

Plaintiffs have shown good cause under Rule 16(b) because Plaintiffs’ new counsel has shown the necessary diligence. Plaintiffs brought on Nichols Kaster, an experienced employment law firm of high repute as lead counsel in May 2012. Since that time, Plaintiffs have made a concerted effort to comply with this Court’s orders and deadlines.

The Honorable Magistrate Judge Tony N. Leung Alvarez v. Diversified Main. Sys., Inc., No. 11-3106 (D. Minn. Aug. 21, 2012)

Plaintiff’s counsel are qualified, experienced attorneys that are fully capable of conducting this class action litigation . . . they are highly qualified, knowledgeable attorneys that are willing to invest the resources necessary to fully prosecute this case.

The Honorable Judge Gary Larson Karl v. Uptown Drink, LLC, No. 27-CV-10-1926 (Minn. Dist. Ct. Nov. 17, 2010)

Plaintiffs’ Counsel are qualified attorneys with extensive experience in class action and wage and hour litigation and are hereby appointed as Class Counsel.

The Honorable Judge Susan Richard Nelson of the U.S.D.C. D. Minn.: Alvarez v. Diversified Main. Sys., Inc., No. 11-3106 (D. Minn. Feb. 14, 2013) (appointing class counsel and preliminarily certifying the class for settlement purposes).


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However, the difficulty of the legal issues involved [and] the skill and experience of Plaintiffs’ counsel in FLSA cases . . . make an enhancement of the lodestar amount appropriate in this case.

The Honorable Judge Thomas D. Schroeder Latham v. Branch Banking & Trust Co., No. 1:12-cv-00007, 2014 WL 464236 (M.D.N.C. Jan. 14, 2014)

The Court must consider the work counsel has done in identifying or investigating potential claims in the actions, counsels' experience in handling class actions and other complex litigation and claims of the type asserted in the present action, counsels' knowledge of the applicable law, and the resources counsel will commit to representing the class. Fed.R.Civ.P. 23(g)(1)(C). After reviewing the record, the Court is satisfied that the firms of Nichols Kaster, PLLP and Stueve Siegel Hanson LLP satisfy these criteria and will adequately represent the interests of the class as counsel.

The Honorable Judge Kathryn Vratil Sibley v. Sprint Nextel Corp., 254 F.R.D. 662, 677 (D. Kan. 2008)

The Arbitrator also notes that the briefs submitted by Claimant’s counsel and the performance at the hearing by Claimant’s counsel were of a very high quality.

Arbitrator Joel Grossman, Esq. Green v. CashCall, Inc., JAMS Arbitration No. 1200047225 (JAMS Aug. 22, 2014)

Plaintiffs’ counsel are adequate legal representatives for the class. They have done work identifying and investigating potential claims, have handled class actions in the past, know the applicable law, and have the resources necessary to represent the class. The class will be fairly and adequately represented.

The Honorable Judge Susan M. Robiner Spar v. Cedar Towing & Auction, Inc., No. 27-CV-411-24993 (Minn. Dist. Ct. Oct. 16, 2012)


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[Defendant] doesn’t question whether Plaintiffs are represented by qualified and competent counsel, and it’s obvious that they are. Plaintiffs’ are represented by a national law firm, Nichols Kaster, that specializes in employment and class action law.

The Honorable Judge Larry Alan Burns Norris-Wilson v. Delta-T Grp., Inc., 270 F.R.D. 596 (S.D. Cal. 2010)


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Notable Litigation Results

| Settlement Results

In Sibley v. Sprint Nextel Corp., No. 08-cv-2063 (D. Kan. Dec. 20, 2018), the court granted final approval of a commissions settlement for retail store sales employees totaling $30,500,000.

In Clark v. Oasis Outsourcing Holdings Inc., No. 9:18-cv-81101 (S.D. Fla. Dec. 20, 2018), the court granted final approval of the parties’ $5.9 million settlement in a case where plaintiffs alleged the defendants breached their fiduciary duties in violation of ERISA.

In Harlow v. Sprint Nextel Corp., No. 08-2222 (D. Kan. Dec. 10, 2018), the court granted final approval of a commissions settlement of $3,650,000 for business channel sales employees.

In Urakhchin v. Allianz Asset Mgmt. of Am., L.P., 8:15-cv-01614 (C.D. Cal. July 30, 2018), the court granted final approval of the parties’ $12 million settlement in a case where plaintiffs allege the defendants breached their fiduciary duties in violation of ERISA.

In Johnson v. Fujitsu Technology Business of America, Inc., No. 5:16-cv-03698 (N.D. Cal. May 11, 2018), the court granted final approval of the parties’ $14 million settlement, and approved a class of current and former participants in the Fujitsu Group Defined Contribution and 401(k) Plan

In Vongkhamchanh v. All Temporaries Midwest, Inc., 17:cv-00976 (D. Minn. Apr. 27, 2018), the court approved a settlement for health care workers who would receive over 84% of their unpaid overtime wages, explaining that the Firm’s “considerable experience litigating wage and hour class and collective actions, and informed opinions of the fairness of the settlement” provided support for approval of the hybrid state and federal action.

In Main v. American Airlines, Inc., 4:16-cv-00473 (N.D. Tex. Feb. 21, 2018), the court granted final approval of the parties’ $22 million settlement for a class of current and former participants in the American Airlines, Inc. 401(k) Plan.

In Allen v. All Temporaries, Inc., No. 16:cv-04409 (D. Minn. Feb. 14, 2018), the court granted final approval of a Rule 23 class action and FLSA collective action for settlement of home health workers’ overtime claims. The court noted that “Class Members will recover over 99% of their unpaid overtime wages after the deduction for attorneys’ fees, costs, and a class-representative service payment.”

In Mayfield-Dillard v. Direct Home Health Care., No. 1:16-cv-3489 (D. Minn, Dec. 18, 2017) the court approved the parties’ joint motion for settlement approval finding that the settlement was a substantial benefit to the collective as the eligible individuals who accept the settlement will receive all their alleged overtime wage loss. The court found that “counsel possess more than sufficient experience


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to represent Plaintiffs fairly and adequately in reaching a fair and equitable settlement in this FLSA collective action” and that “[t]he parties are represented by competent and reputable counsel.”

In McCulloch v. Baker Hughes Inteq Drilling Fluids, Inc., No. 1:16-cv-00157 (E.D. CA, Nov. 22, 2017), the court approved the settlement finding that $3,000,000 was fair and reasonable and reflected a settlement payoff of 92%of the estimated potential value of the class members’ claims. The judge commended Nichols Kaster stating, “[T]his case’s early resolution can partly be attributed to counsel’s experience representing thousands of employees in wage and hour cases for thirty years, particularly within the oil and gas industry.”

In Andrus v. New York Life Ins. Co., 1:16-cv-05698 (S.D.N.Y. June 15, 2017), the court granted final approval of the parties’ $3,000,000 settlement in a case where plaintiffs alleged that the defendants breached their fiduciary duties in violation of ERISA.

In Andrus v. New York Life Ins. Co., No. 1:16-cv-05698 (S.D.N.Y. Feb. 16, 2017), the court granted preliminary approval of the parties’ proposed $3,000,000 settlement in a case where plaintiffs allege that the defendants breached their fiduciary duties in violation of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974.

In Henderson v. 1400 Northside Drive, Inc., No. 1:13-cv-03767 (N.D. Ga. Mar. 17, 2017), the Firm achieved a $1,360,000 settlement on the eve of trial on behalf of 37 male exotic dancers who were misclassified as independent contractors and required to pay to work through the imposition of mandatory house fees, fines, and tip-outs of other workers.

In Vaughan v. M-Enterm’t Props., LLC, No. 1:14-CV-914 (N.D. Ga. May 16, 2017), the court approved a $1,100,000 settlement a week before trial for 28 female exotic dancers who the Court previously found were misclassified as independent contractors and were required to pay to work through fines, fees, and tip-outs to other workers.

In Febus v. Guardian First Funding Group, LLC, 90 F. Supp. 3d 240 (S.D.N.Y. Mar. 4, 2015), plaintiffs brought a motion to enforce a wage and hour settlement from which one of the individual defendants defaulted. The court ordered the defendant pay the amount due, imposed an additional thirty percent penalty on the amount due, and awarded interest. The court noted that Nichols Kaster had been “attempting, in vain, to collect,” and emphasized that defendant “cannot avoid his contractual obligations because he has decided that the settlement terms no longer suit his interests.”

In Hart v. Rick’s Cabaret Int’l, Inc., No. 09 Civ. 3043, 2015 WL 5577713 (S.D.N.Y. Sept. 22, 2015). the court granted final approval of a class-wide $15,000,000 gross settlement, finding the settlement to be fair, reasonable, and adequate and further awarding plaintiffs’ counsel’s attorneys’ fees, expenses, and service awards to the named plaintiffs and discovery participants.

In the consolidated lawsuits of Casey v. Citibank, N.A., No. 5:12-cv-0820 (N.D.N.Y. Aug. 21, 2014) and Coonan v. Citibank, N.A., No. 1:13-cv-00353, 2014 WL 4120599 (N.D.N.Y. Aug. 21, 2014), the court


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granted final approval of an approximately $110,000,000 settlement on behalf of settlement classes who were force-placed with flood or hazard insurance by Citibank, N.A. The settlement also provides substantial injunctive relief, forbidding Citibank and its affiliates from accepting commissions or any other form of compensation in connection with force-placed insurance for a period of six years, places limits on the amount of insurance coverage that Citibank may require borrowers to maintain, and requires Citibank to offer class members the opportunity to reduce their flood insurance coverage if Citibank had increased their coverage amount to an amount in excess of the amount required under federal law. The court found the settlement to be “fair, reasonable, and adequate, in the best interests of the Settlement Classes” and overruled nine objections.

In Bible v. General Revenue Corp., No. 12-cv-01236 RHK (D. Minn. June 27, 2014), the court granted final approval of a $1,250,000 settlement on behalf of approximately 134,000 class members, more than double the statutory cap for a Fair Debt Collection Practices Act class action.

In Farmer v. Bank of America, N.A., No. 5:11-cv-00935 (W.D. Tex. Oct. 18, 2013), the court granted final approval of the parties’ multi-million-dollar settlement with significant prospective injunctive relief, finally certifying a class of 25,000 Texas mortgagors who had been sent letters requesting proof of hazard insurance in violation of the language of their deeds of trust, and appointing Nichols Kaster as class counsel.

In Singleton v. Domino’s Pizza, LLC, No. 8:11-cv-01823 (D. Md. Oct. 2, 2013), the court approved the parties’ $2,500,000 million settlement for a class of over 50,000 under the Fair Credit Reporting Act in a case where plaintiffs alleged that the defendant employer had improperly procured consumer reports on employees and applicants and had failed to comply with the pre-adverse action notice requirements of the Act.

In Ulbrich v. GMAC Mortgage, No. 11-CIV-62424, 2013 WL 8692404 (S.D. Fla. May 10, 2013), the court granted final settlement approval and appointed Nichols Kaster as class counsel for a 2,000+ nationwide class. The case involved claims against GMAC Mortgage, LLC and Balboa Insurance Services, Inc. relating to force-placed wind insurance.

In Eldredge v. City of Saint Paul, No. 09-2018 (D. Minn. Aug. 29, 2011), plaintiff Eldredge reached a settlement of his case that was the second largest paid by the City of Saint Paul in an employment lawsuit.

In Hofstetter v. JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., No. C- 10-01313, 2011 WL 1225900 (N.D. Cal. Mar. 31, 2011), Nichols Kaster was appointed class counsel for four classes encompassing approximately 40,000 mortgagors against Chase Bank. In the same case, Nichols Kaster secured an approximately $10,000,000 settlement for the classes. Hofstetter, 2011 WL 5545912 (N.D. Cal. Nov. 14, 2011).


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| Appellate Achievements

Frost v. BNSF Railway, Co., 9:15-cv-000124-DWM, was tried to a jury in Montana in December 2016. Mr. Frost alleged that he was retaliated against when BNSF terminated his employment after he reported suffering from PTSD. Mr. Frost was diagnosed with PTSD after he was nearly struck by an oncoming train while repairing a section of the track after his supervisor released track authority but failed to inform him and his fellow crew members. Pursuant to the Defendant’s request, the jury was provided an honest belief instruction and a defense verdict resulted. Mr. Frost appealed, arguing that the instruction was error because it conflicted with the clear language of the Federal Railway Safety Act (“FRSA”) and granted the jury a short-cut to rule for BNSF while ignoring evidence of retaliation. The Ninth Circuit agreed. In a unanimous decision, the Ninth Circuit definitively held there was no requirement that FRSA plaintiffs separately prove discriminatory intent under the FRSA’s contributing factor standard, and thus the instruction was error. The Ninth Circuit reversed the trial verdict and remanded for a new trial.

In Brotherston v. Putnam Investments, LLC, 907 F.3d 17 (1st Cir. 2018), the First Circuit reversed the district court’s grant of defendants’ directed verdict motion, holding that plaintiffs had met their burden of proving loss causation, and that plaintiffs’ damages model constituted a viable measurement of the losses suffered by Putnam’s employees as a result of defendants’ fiduciary breaches. The First Circuit remanded the case to the district court for continued trial proceedings.

In McKeen-Chaplin v. Provident Savings Bank, FSB, 862 F.3d 847 (9th Cir. 2017), the Ninth Circuit reversed the district court’s grant of summary judgment to the defendant, finding that the defendant’s mortgage underwriters did not fit within the administrative exemption to the Fair Labor Standards Act and remanding for judgment in the plaintiffs’ favor on the issue.

In Clark v. Centene Co. of Tex., L.P., 656 F. App’x 688 (5th Cir. 2016) (per curiam), the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit affirmed a lower court decision that appeals nurses do not fall within the administrative or professional exemptions of the FLSA overtime requirements.

In Carter v. HealthPort Technologies, LLC, 822 F.3d 47 (2d Cir. 2016), the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit vacated and remanded the district court’s dismissal of plaintiff’s complaint, finding that plaintiff’s had Article III standing to bring this action regarding the excessive fees for providing copies of plaintiffs’ medical records charged by defendants, and stating that “because the complaint alleged that each name plaintiff “through [her or his] counsel” had “paid” the charges demanded for the records, and that the “ultimate expense” was borne by the plaintiffs, the complaint plausibly alleged that plaintiffs, as principals acting through their agents, had been injured by the alleged overcharges.”

In Monroe v. FTS USA, LLC, 815 F.3d 1000 (6th Cir. 2016), the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit upheld the lower court’s denial of defendant’s motion to decertify the collective and affirmed the trial verdict in favor of plaintiffs. The Sixth Circuit ruled that Plaintiff’s presentation of representative testimony was appropriate at trial for proving liability for the collective and estimated average approach to calculating damages.


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In Bible v. United Student Aid Funds, Inc., 799 F.3d 633 (7th Cir. 2015), reh’g. en banc denied, 807 F.3d 839 (7th Cir. 2015), cert. denied, 136 S. Ct. 1607 (2016), the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit reversed the district court’s dismissal of plaintiff’s complaint against a student loan guarantor for wrongfully charging collection fees on a defaulted student loan, finding that plaintiff’s claims for breach of contract and for violations of the RICO Act were not preempted by the Higher Education Act, and stating that “a guaranty agency may not impose collection costs on a borrower who is in default for the first time but who has timely entered into and complied with an alternative repayment agreement.”

In Perez v. Mortgage Bankers Assoc., 135 S. Ct. 1199 (2015), the United States Supreme Court ruled unanimously in favor of a group of employees represented by Nichols Kaster. The Court upheld a Department of Labor interpretation granting minimum wage and overtime compensation for mortgage loan officers.

In Karl v. Uptown Drink, LLC, 835 N.W.2d 14 (Minn. Aug. 14, 2013), the Minnesota Supreme Court ruled that under Minnesota law, employers cannot require employees to reimburse them from their tips for items such as cash register shortages, unsigned credit card receipts, and customer walk outs. The Court also found that employees do not have to show that because of the deductions their wages fell below the minimum wage in order to prove a violation of Minn. Stat. § 181.79. In this case, the plaintiffs were over 750 employees who worked at three different bars/night clubs in Minneapolis. At a jury trial in 2011, the plaintiffs prevailed on their record-keeping and certain minimum wage claims, but lost on the unlawful deductions claims. Nichols Kaster appealed the deductions issue, and took it all the way to the Minnesota Supreme Court, where the Court agreed with plaintiffs and instructed the lower court to enter judgment on the plaintiffs’ behalf on this claim.

In Boaz v. Federal Express Customer Info. Services, Inc., 725 F.3d 603 (6th Cir. 2013), the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit ruled that plaintiff, a FedEx project manager who had claimed that FedEx had failed to pay her overtime wages, in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act, and paid her less than male coworkers performing the same job, in violation of the Equal Pay Act, could pursue her overtime and gender discrimination claims. The federal laws at issue provide employees three years to file a lawsuit and FedEx had plaintiff sign an application which stated that lawsuits had to be brought within 6 months or claims were lost. The lower court had dismissed plaintiff’s claims, citing the application. The Sixth Circuit unanimously sided with plaintiff, reversed the dismissal and remanded the case for trial.

In Calderon v. GEICO General Insurance Co., 809 F.3d 111 (4th Cir. 2015), the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit affirmed a district court’s grant of affirmative summary judgment in favor of approximately one hundred current and former Security Investigators, finding that they were not covered by the administrative exemption. Specifically, the Appellate Court found that plaintiffs’ primary job duty was not the performance of work directly related to general business operations.

In Lass v. Bank of America, N.A., 695 F.3d 129 (1st Cir. 2012), the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit struck down the district court’s ruling that had dismissed plaintiff’s claims. The court found


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that plaintiff’s allegations regarding excessive flood insurance and improper kickbacks had been properly alleged and that the case should proceed.

In Kasten v. Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics Corp., 131 S. Ct. 1325 (2011), the U.S. Supreme Court found in favor of the plaintiff and held that “an oral complaint of a violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act is protected conduct under the [Act’s] anti-retaliation provision.” This was a huge win for employees all over the country, as the Supreme Court’s decision set a new FLSA anti-retaliation standard.

| Trial Verdicts and Arbitration Awards

In Cummings v. Chevron Corp., JAMS Case No. 1100086694 (June 8, 2018), an arbitrator issued a final award in the amount of $511,533.95 in favor of Donnie Cummings, a Well Site Supervisor who worked for Chevron. The arbitrator ruled that Chevron misclassified Cummings as an independent contractor and also misclassified him as exempt from the overtime provisions of state and federal law. The arbitrator awarded Cummings $284,270.15 in unpaid overtime, liquidated damages, and meal and rest period premiums, and awarded attorneys’ fees and costs in the amount of $227,263.80.

In Kaiser v. Gortmaker et al., No. 15-cv-01030, (District of South Dakota, Dec. 21, 2017) following a five-day trial in Aberdeen, South Dakota, a six-person jury returned a $1.2 million verdict in favor of former South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation agent, Laura Zylstra-Kaiser. At the conclusion of trial, the jury found in favor of Kaiser on both her retaliation and gender discrimination claims. The jury awarded Kaiser $311,812.00 in lost wages, $498,929.00 in lost retirement benefits, and $400,000.00 in emotional distress damages.

In Clark v. Centene Company of Texas, LP, 104 F. Supp. 3d 813 (W.D. Tex. 2015), upon the conclusion of a bench trial, the court awarded damages to a collective action of utilization review nurses. The court found that plaintiffs submitted sufficient evidence to create a just and reasonable inference as to overtime hours worked by the collective and awarded liquidated damages. This victory followed the court’s order on the parties’ cross-motions for summary judgment and defendant’s motion for decertification last year, holding that the defendant misclassified its utilization nurses. 44 F. Supp. 3d 674 (W.D. Tex. 2014). The court ruled that plaintiffs are not exempt from the Fair Labor Standards Act’s overtime laws and are thus eligible for overtime pay. The court further held that defendant’s claim that each plaintiff’s claim would need to be analyzed individually to determine liability and damages was without merit.

In Rhodes v. CashCall, JAMS Ref. No. 1200047475, Garcia v. CashCall, JAMS Ref. No. 1200047422, Good v. CashCall, JAMS Ref. No. 1200047220, and Green v. CashCall, Inc., JAMS Ref. No. 1200047225 (2014), a JAMS arbitrator ruled that CashCall misclassified Rhodes and Green, loan processers, and Garcia and Good, underwriters, as exempt from the overtime requirements of California and federal law. The arbitrator awarded Rhodes $15,000 in unpaid overtime plus an additional $15,000 in liquidated damages, along with $88,179 in attorneys’ fees and costs, Green was awarded $15,067.72 in damages, as well as $54,165.50 in attorneys’ fees and costs. The arbitrator also awarded Garcia


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$10,000 in unpaid overtime plus an additional $10,000 in liquidated damages, along with $98,709 in attorneys’ fees and costs, and Good was awarded $43,631 in unpaid overtime, as well as $50,627.49 in attorneys’ fees and costs.

In Walsten v. Shank Power Products Co., Inc., No. 19HA-CV-12-1094 (Minn. Dist. Ct., Sept. 9, 2013), a minority shareholder case, an advisory jury returned a $700,000 verdict for the plaintiff, finding for him on his claims for breach of fiduciary duty and violation of his reasonable expectation of continuing employment. The trial judge subsequently issued an order sustaining the $700,000 advisory verdict and awarding $200,000 in attorneys’ fees.

In Monroe v. FTS USA, LLC, No. 2:08-cv-21 (W.D. Tenn. Oct. 2011), the jury found that defendants willfully violated the Fair Labor Standards Act by failing to pay nearly 300 cable installers for all overtime hours worked. The district court entered judgment with damages for the plaintiffs.

| Summary Adjudication

In Henderson v. 1400 Northside Drive, Inc., No. 1:13-cv-3767, 2016 WL 3125012 (N.D. Ga. June 3, 2016), the district court granted in part Plaintiffs’ affirmative motion for summary judgment on the issues of: (1) whether the owner qualified as a joint employer, (2) the viability of the defendants’ counterclaims, and (3) whether minimum wage damages includes recovery for fines, fees, and tipouts paid by the employee to the employer. In an earlier order, the court also the court granted plaintiffs’ motion for partial summary judgment on the issues of: (1) the creative professional exemption, finding that defendants misclassified adult entertainers as exempt from the overtime and minimum wage requirements of the FLSA; and (2) offset, finding that defendants could not offset their minimum wage obligations with tips paid by customers to adult entertainers. 110 F. Supp. 3d 1318 (N.D. Ga. 2015).

In Vaughan v. M-Enterm’t Props., LLC, No. 1:14-CV-914, 2016 WL 7365201 (N.D. Ga. Mar. 15, 2016), the district court granted in part exotic dancer plaintiffs’ affirmative motion for summary judgment on the issues of (1) whether entertainers qualify as employees under the FLSA, (2) whether related entity defendants qualified as joint employers, (3) the viability of the defendants’ offset defense, and (4) the viability of the defendants’ counterclaims.

In Heaton v. Social Finance, Inc., No. 3:14-cv-05191-the, 2015 WL 6003119 (N.D. Cal. Oct. 15, 2015), the court denied defendants’ motion for summary judgment, finding that there were triable issues of fact as to whether defendants had violated the statutes at issue, whether the alleged violations were willful, and finding that defendants had failed to meet their burden as to plaintiffs’ claims under the California Unfair Competition Law.

In Hart v. Rick’s Cabaret Int’l, Inc., the court denied decertification of the FLSA Collective and Rule 23 Class of approximately 2,300 adult entertainers at Rick’s Cabaret in New York and granted, in part, plaintiffs’ affirmative motion for partial summary judgment on damages, finding that no reasonable jury could conclude the Class was owed less than $10.8 million. No. 09-Civ-3043, 2014 WL 6238175 (S.D.N.Y. Nov. 14, 2014). This significant ruling came approximately one year after the court ruled that


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the Class and Collective Members are employees as a matter of law under the FLSA and New York Labor Law and that Rick’s Cabaret violated both laws by failing to pay wages. The court further held that the money entertainers received from Rick’s Cabaret’s customers were tips and not service charges that could offset wage obligations and that Rick’s Cabaret violated New York Labor Law by charging Class and Collective Members fines and fees as a condition of employment. 967 F. Supp. 2d 901 (S.D.N.Y. Sept. 10, 2013).

In Wolfram v. PHH Corp., No. 1:12-cv-599, 2014 WL 2737990 (S.D. Ohio June 17, 2014), the court granted plaintiffs’ motion for partial summary judgment, finding that the assigned real estate offices from where plaintiffs, who are current or former loan officers employed by defendant, worked where all serving as the “employer’s place of business” under the outside sales exemption of the Fair Labor Standards Act. This established that an employee may work from multiple sites, not technically owned or operated by the employer, and each of those sites can be considered the “employer’s place of business” under the regulations, therefore any work performed at these sites is not “outside” work under the outside sales exemption.

In MacIntyre v. Lender Processing Services, Inc., No. 3:13-cv-89-J-25JBT (M.D. Fla. Apr. 29, 2014), the court granted affirmative summary judgment to plaintiff (a Minnesota resident) on a breach of contract claim for an unpaid bonus and used its discretion to enforce Minnesota state law for defendant’s (a Florida company) failure to promptly pay wages. The court simultaneously denied defendant’s motion to dismiss plaintiff’s gender discrimination claims ruling, in part, that defendant’s actions toward plaintiff constituted direct evidence of gender discrimination.

In Huff v. Pinstripes, Inc., 972 F. Supp. 2d 1065 (D. Minn. 2013), the court ruled in plaintiffs’ favor on cross-motions for summary judgment, finding that Pinstripes had violated the Minnesota Fair Labor Standards Act’s provisions on tip-pooling by requiring its servers to share their tips with “server assistants,” who act as servers’ support staff at the restaurant.

In Ernst v. DISH Network, LLC, No. 12-8794-LGS (S.D.N.Y. Sept. 22, 2014), the court ruled on plaintiff’s and two of the defendants’ cross-motions for partial summary judgment, granting plaintiff’s motion and denying defendants’ motion. The court ruled that the summary report received by two of the defendants was a “consumer report” for purposes of the Fair Credit Reporting Act because it “communicated information bearing on Plaintiff’s character, general reputation, or mode of living, and the information was collected and expected to be used for ‘employment purposes.’”

In Kirsch v. St. Paul Motorsports, Inc., No. 11-cv-02624, 2013 WL 1900620 (D. Minn. May 7, 2013), the court denied defendants’ motion for summary judgment in its entirety, finding that plaintiff had put forth sufficient evidence for a prima facie claim of age discrimination.

In Bollinger v. Residential Capital, 863 F. Supp. 2d 1041 (W.D. Wash. 2012), the court granted plaintiffs’ motion for partial summary judgment, finding that defendants misclassified the underwriter plaintiffs under the administrative exemption, and rejected defendants’ argument that there was no


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evidence of willful violation of the FLSA, stating that “a jury could conclude that Defendants knowingly and recklessly” misclassified plaintiffs.

In Clincy v. Galardi South Enterprises, Inc., 808 F. Supp. 2d 1326 (N.D. Ga. 2011), the court granted plaintiffs’ motion for partial summary judgment on the issue of misclassification, finding that defendants misclassified adult entertainers as independent contractors and that the entertainers were in fact employees covered by the FLSA.

| Class and Collective Certification

In Harris v. Union Pac. R.R. Co., 329 F.R.D. 616, 620 (D. Neb. 2019), Nichols Kaster won class certification and was appointed class counsel for a class of over 7,000 railroad employees who plaintiffs alleged had been removed from their jobs in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act

In Ayala v. GEICO, No. 7:18-cv-03583 (Dec. 5, 2018), the district court certified a collective class under the FLSA for Auto Adjuster Trainees who alleged they were not paid for all their overtime worked during training.

In Bell v. Michigan Civil Service Commission and Jan Winters, State Personnel Director, No. 17-003861-CV (Mich. Cir. Ct., Nov. 17, 2018), Nichols Kaster won class certification and was appointed class counsel for a class of over 600 African-American applicants who plaintiffs alleged had been discriminated against by defendants through the use of their entry-level law enforcement examination.

In Dunham-Sunde v. The Copper Hen Cakery, No. 27-CV-17-17288 (Minn. Dist. Ct., Aug. 28, 2018), the court certified a class of over one hundred restaurant servers to pursue claims against a local restaurant for its unlawful tip-sharing practices in violation of the Minnesota Fair Labor Standards Act.

In Deluca v. Farmers Ins. Exch., No. 17-cv-00034, 2018 WL 1981393 (N.D. Cal. Feb. 27, 2018), the court granted class certification of California state law overtime claims and related claims for a group of special investigators who allege that Farmers misclassified them as exempt from overtime. The court previously granted conditional certification of the plaintiffs’ FLSA overtime claims.

In Wildman v. American Century Serv., LLC, 2017 WL 6045487 (W.D. Mo. Dec. 6, 2017), the court certified a class of current and former participants in the American Century Retirement Plan and appointed Nichols Kaster as class counsel. Plaintiffs alleged that defendants breached their fiduciary duties and engaged in prohibited transactions.

In Ganci v. MBF Inspection Svcs., Inc., 323 F.R.D. 249 (S.D. Ohio 2017), the court granted class certification of a class of pipeline inspectors who worked for MBF and were paid based on a day rate, who sought unpaid overtime under Ohio state law. The court had previously granted conditional collective certification of the plaintiffs’ FLSA overtime claims. 2016 WL 5104891 (S.D. Ohio Sept. 20, 2016).


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In Moreno v. Deutsche Bank Americas Holding Corp., 1:15-cv-09936, 2017 WL 3868803 (S.D.N.Y. Sept. 5, 2017), the court certified a class of current and former participants in the Deutsche Bank Matched Savings Plan and appointed Nichols Kaster as class counsel. Plaintiffs alleged that Defendants mismanaged the plan in breach of their fiduciary duties under ERISA.

In Sims v. BB&T Corp., No. 1:15-cv-732, 2017 WL 3730552(M.D.N.C. Aug. 28, 2017), the district court certified a class of current and former participants in the BB&T Corporation 401(k) Savings Plan and appointed Nichols Kaster as co-class counsel. Plaintiffs alleged that Defendants breached their fiduciary duties to the Plan.

In Urakhchin v. Allianz Asset Mgmt. of Am., L.P., 8:15-cv-01614, 2017 WL 2655678 (C.D. Cal. June 15, 2017), the district court certified a class of current and former participants in the Allianz Asset Management of America L.P. 401(k) Savings and Retirement Plan and appointed Nichols Kaster as class counsel. Plaintiffs alleged that defendants improperly managed plan assets and breached their fiduciary duties.

In Mayfield-Dillard v. Direct Home Health Care, Inc., No. 0:16-cv-3489, 2017 WL 945087 (D. Minn. Mar. 10, 2017), the district court granted Plaintiffs’ motion for conditional certification, certifying a group of home health care workers who challenged Defendant’s practice of paying straight-time only, for overtime hours worked.

In McQueen v. Chevron, No. C 16-02089, 2017 WL 8948943 (N.D. Cal. Feb. 21, 2017), the Court granted conditional certification of an FLSA collective for well site managers and drill site managers who performed services for Chevron throughout the country, rejecting Chevron’s arguments that the various intermediary staffing companies and differing contractual terms put the workers on different footing.

In Tamez v. BHP Billiton Petroleum (Americas), Inc., No. 5:15-cv-330, 2015 WL 7075971 (W.D. Tex. Oct. 5, 2015), the court granted plaintiffs’ motion for conditional certification, conditionally certifying a class of employees alleging violations of the overtime wage provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act by a multinational corporation that produces major commodities including oil and gas.

In Miller v. Fleetcor Technologies Operating Co., LLC, 118 F. Supp. 3d 1351 (N.D. Ga. 2015), the court denied defendant’s motion for decertification, agreeing with plaintiffs that each individual claim and the case as a whole should be kept together, allowing plaintiffs to move forward as a collective group.

In Pearsall-Dineen v. Freedom Mortgage Corp., No. 13-cv-06836-JEI-JS, 2014 WL 2873878 (D. N.J. June 25, 2014), the court conditionally certified the Fair Labor Standards Act overtime case as a collective action. The judge’s order authorized notice of the lawsuit to be disseminated to all mortgage underwriters who worked for Freedom Mortgage in the last three years, providing them the opportunity to join the lawsuit and to assert their overtime claims against the defendant for failing to pay them overtime hours.


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In Ellsworth v. U.S. Bank, N.A., No. C 12-2506-LB, 2014 WL 2734953 (N.D. Cal. June 13, 2014), the court issued a broad class certification ruling on behalf of plaintiff-borrowers who were force-placed with flood insurance. In its order, the court certified multi-state classes of borrowers spanning forty different states to pursue claims against U.S. Bank for breach of their mortgage agreements stemming from U.S. Bank’s force-placed insurance practices. In addition, the court separately certified classes of borrowers in California and New Mexico to pursue claims against U.S. Bank and its force-placed insurance vendor, ASIC, for unjust enrichment, unfair business practices, and/or breach of the covenant of good faith and fair dealing.

In Arnett v. Bank of America, N.A., No. 3:11-cv-01372-SI (D. Or. Apr. 17, 2014), the court preliminarily approved a $31 million settlement for approximately 625,000 class members, the largest common fund settlement ever negotiated in a case involving force-placed flood insurance.

In Ernst v. DISH Network, LLC, No. 12-8794-LGS (S.D.N.Y. July 23, 2013), the court appointed Nichols Kaster as interim class counsel for the putative class with claims against Defendant Sterling Infosystems, Inc., finding that Nichols Kaster had “demonstrated it is able fairly and adequately to represent the interests of the putative class.

In Gustafson v. BAC Home Loan Services, LP, No. 8:11-cv-00915 (C.D. Cal. Feb. 27, 2013), Judge Josephine Staton Tucker appointed Nichols Kaster as co-lead interim class counsel for multiple putative classes in a force-placed insurance case against Bank of America and other defendants.

In Spar v. Cedar Towing & Auction, Inc., Case No. 27-CV-11-24993 (Minn. Dist. Ct., Oct. 16, 2012), Nichols Kaster won class certification and was appointed class counsel for a class of approximately six thousand Minneapolis consumers who plaintiffs alleged had been charged illegal towing fees by defendant.

| Denial of Motions to Dismiss

In In re M&T Bank Corp. ERISA Litig., No. 16-cv-375, 2018 WL 4334807 (W.D.N.Y. Sept. 11, 2018), the court denied defendants’ motion to dismiss in substantial part, holding plaintiffs adequately alleged breaches of fiduciary duty under ERISA relating to the management of the M&T Bank Corporation Retirement Savings Plan.

In Velazquez v. Massachusetts Fin. Servs. Co., 320 F. Supp. 3d 252 (D. Mass. 2018), the court denied defendants’ motion to dismiss in substantial part and held that plaintiffs adequately alleged breaches of fiduciary duty under ERISA relating to the management of the Massachusetts Financial Services Company MFSavings Retirement Plan and the Massachusetts Financial Services Company Defined Contribution Plan.

In Beach v. JP Morgan Chase Bank, No. 1:17-cv-00563 (S.D.N.Y. Mar. 28, 2018), the court denied defendants’ motion to dismiss in substantial part and held that plaintiffs adequately alleged breaches of fiduciary duty under ERISA.


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In Wildman v. American Century Serv., LLC, 237 F. Supp. 3d 902 (W.D. Mo. 2017), the court denied defendants’ motion to dismiss, finding that plaintiffs adequately alleged breaches of fiduciary duty and prohibited transactions by defendants in connection with the American Century Retirement Plan.

In Johnson v. Fujitsu Technology Business of America, Inc., 250 F. Supp. 3d 460 (N.D. Cal. April 11, 2017), the court denied defendants’ motions to dismiss, and held that plaintiffs adequately alleged breaches of fiduciary duty under ERISA relating to the management of the Fujitsu Group Defined Contribution and 401(k) Plan.

In Moreno v. Deutsche Bank Americas Holding Corp., 1:15-cv-09936, 2016 WL 5957307 (S.D.N.Y. Oct. 13, 2016), the court denied defendants’ motion to dismiss in substantial part and held that plaintiffs adequately alleged breaches of fiduciary duty under ERISA relating to the management of the Deutsche Bank Matched Savings Plan.

In Urakhchin v. Allianz Asset Mgmt. of Am., L.P., 8:15-cv-01614, 2016 WL 4507119 (C.D. Cal. Aug. 5, 2016), the court denied defendants’ motion to dismiss in substantial part and held that plaintiffs adequately alleged breaches of fiduciary duty under ERISA relating to the management of the Allianz Asset Management of America L.P. 401(k) Savings and Retirement Plan.

In Bowers v. BB&T Corporation, No. 1:15-cv-732-CCE-JEP (M.D.N.C. Apr. 18, 2016), the court denied defendant’s motion to dismiss, finding that plaintiff’s allegations regarding Employment Retirement Income Security Act (“ERISA”) violations related to defendant’s management of plaintiffs’ 401(k) Savings Plans are sufficient for litigation to move forward.

In Brotherston v. Putnam Investments, LLC, No. 1:15-cv-13825, 2016 WL 1397427 (D. Mass. Apr. 7, 2016), the court denied defendant’s motion to dismiss, finding that plaintiff’s allegations regarding Employment Retirement Income Security Act (“ERISA”) violations related to defendant’s management of plaintiffs’ 401(k) Savings Plans are sufficient for litigation to move forward.

In Johnson v. Casey’s Gen. Stores, Inc., 116 F. Supp. 3d 944 (W.D. Mo. 2015), the court denied defendant’s motion to dismiss, finding that plaintiff’s allegations regarding Fair Credit Reporting Act violations and the willfulness of defendant’s conduct sufficient for litigation to move forward.

In Lengel v. HomeAdvisor, Inc., 102 F. Supp. 3d 1202 (D. Kan. 2015), the court denied defendant’s motion to dismiss, finding that plaintiff’s allegations regarding Fair Credit Report Act violations and the willfulness of defendant’s conduct sufficient for litigation to move forward.

In Holmes v. Bank of America, N.A., No. 3:12-cv-00487, 2013 WL 2317722 (W.D.N.C. May 28, 2013), the court denied four motions to dismiss plaintiffs’ claims regarding force-placed insurance and allowing the case to proceed.

In Walls v. JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., No. 3:11-cv-00673, 2012 WL 3096660 (W.D. Ky. July 30, 2012), a case regarding force-placed flood insurance, the court denied defendant’s motion to dismiss, stating that the plaintiff’s mortgage agreement did not explicitly provide that the lender’s flood


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insurance requirement could change at will and that Kentucky contracts contain provisions which can impose limits on discretion afforded by a contract, thus rejecting defendant’s interpretation of plaintiff’s mortgage agreement for purposes of the motion.

| Defeat of Motions to Compel Arbitration

In Doll House, Inc. v. Tapia, Nos. 5D16-4235, 5D16-4455 (Fla. DCA Nov. 21, 2017), the Florida District Court of Appeal for the Fifth District affirmed per curium a trial court ruling denying defendant’s motion to compel arbitration. The court of appeals found that the parties never formed a binding agreement, and alternatively that the agreement at issue was unconscionable and therefore unenforceable.

In Payne v. WBY, Inc., 141 F. Supp. 3d 1344 (N.D. Ga. 2015) the court denied defendant’s motion to compel arbitration of opt-in plaintiffs in an FLSA conditionally certified collective action. The court held that the defendant’s alleged posting of an arbitration agreement on a bulletin board in the breakroom without additional notice to workers of its existence, its terms, or its binding nature was insufficient to establish an offer or acceptance of its terms.


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Nichols Kaster Attorneys

| Partner Biographies

Don H. Nichols has over 35 years of experience in the practice of law, has tried over 100 cases to verdict and has obtained over $50 million dollars for his class and collective clients. Don is highly respected by the legal community, as seen by his fellowship in The College of Labor and Employment Lawyers. Don was recently selected by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® 2015 and 2016 for his work in Litigation-Labor & Employment. Education: B.A. Augsburg College 1968, J.D. University of Minnesota Law School 1971.

James H. Kaster is a Civil Trial Law Specialist who has tried well over 100 cases to verdict or decision. He has also handled many significant cases on appeal, including a successful case in front of the United States Supreme Court (Kasten v. Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics Corp.). He was ranked by Chambers USA as number one among plaintiffs’ employment lawyers in Minnesota, was named Lawyer of the Year by Best Lawyers in 2012, and 2016, and has been listed by Super Lawyers of Minnesota as one of the top 10 lawyers in the State. Jim’s success in the courtroom includes earning many million dollar and multi-million dollar recoveries for plaintiffs. Jim is also a frequent lecturer before local, state, and national organizations on damage recovery and trial skills. He was selected as a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, a premier professional trial organization in America whose membership is limited to 1% of the trial lawyers in any state or province. He was also selected to be a member of the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers. Education: B.A. Marquette University 1976, J.D. Marquette University 1979.

Paul J. Lukas is one of the co-leaders of the firm’s ERISA Class Action Team. Mr. Lukas also has extensive experience litigating class and collective actions and has tried over 50 cases over the course of his career. Mr. Lukas has been recognized by his peers as one of “The Best Lawyers in America” and is frequently named to the Minnesota Super Lawyers list. He also has had many publications and speaking engagements about issues and strategies for plaintiff class action lawyers and the plaintiffs’ bar. Education: B.A. St. John’s University 1988, J.D. William Mitchell College of Law 1991.

Steven Andrew Smith was named as a 2017 Minnesota Lawyers of the Year. Steve was honored by the Minnesota Chapter of the National Employment Lawyers Association as the recipient of the 2014 Karla Wahl Dedicated Advocacy Award. The Award is given to recipients “for their ceaseless and courageous efforts” to protect and advance the rights of Minnesota employees. Steve was also the recipient of the 2011 Distinguished Pro Bono Service Award from the United States District Court for the District of Minnesota, was selected for the Merit Selection Panel regarding the Re-Appointment of U.S. Magistrate Judge Arthur J. Boylan (D. Minn. 2012), has received the Martindale Hubble AV Preeminent rating, and was named to the Best Lawyers in America list for 2014, 2015, and 2016. Steve’s trial experience includes trials to verdict in sexual harassment, whistleblower, reprisal/retaliation, commission, contract, gender discrimination, marital status discrimination, disability, and wage and hour claims. Steve has also litigated several notable cases having substantial effect on employees’ rights


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under state and federal employment laws. Steve is often invited to lecture on employment issues both nationally and locally. He has also authored a number of articles on employment law issues such as sexual harassment in the workplace. He was further recognized in 2014 by the United States District Court and Chief Judge Michael J. Davis for his involvement in the Pro Se Project, a project by the United States District Court of Minnesota for assisting individuals representing themselves in federal court. Education: B.A. Concordia College 1990, J.D. William Mitchell College of Law 1995 cum laude.

Michele R. Fisher is a managing partner, and Chair of the Firm’s Business Development and Marketing Groups, which originate class and collective actions and market the firm. She has dedicated her career to litigating wage and hour cases in an aggressive, creative, and strategic manner. She is one of the leaders of a practice group that has been described as a "powerhouse" for mass wage and hour litigation and arbitration. Michele has the experience, resources, and staff to take on any company regardless of size. She has handled several jury trials and arbitrations in her fight for employee rights and prides herself on the firm's reputation as a leader in national wage and hour class and collective action litigation. Michele has litigated hundreds of class and collective actions involving positions such as home health aides, loan officers, retail salespersons, oil and gas workers, assistant managers, field service engineers, call center representatives, exotic dancers, inside sales representatives, restaurant workers, insurance adjusters, property specialists, property managers, installers, service technicians, and road construction laborers.

Michele is active in several organizations. She is the Co-Chair and a faculty member of the Practicing Law Institute’s Wage & Hour Litigation and Compliance conference, the Co-Chair of the ABA Federal Labor Standards Legislation Committee, the Co-Chair of the ABA Labor and Employment Law Section's Revenue and Partnership Development Committee, and a wage and hour track coordinator for the ABA Labor and Employment Law Section’s annual conference. She has also served as the Co-Editor-in-Chief of the ABA Labor and Employment Law Section’s Federal Labor Standards Legislation Committee Midwinter Report, an editorial board member for BNA’s the Fair Labor Standards Act Treatise, and a chapter editor for BNA’s Wage and Hour Laws: A State-by-State Survey. She has been named to the Best Lawyers, Super Lawyers, Top Women Attorneys, and Rising Star lists repeatedly, is a member of the Top 100 National Trial Lawyers, and Top 10 Wage and Hour Lawyers, and has been named a Lawyer of Distinction. Michele volunteers as an attorney for a foster child through the Children's Law Center. Education: B.A. St. Cloud State University 1997, J.D. William Mitchell College of Law 2000.

Matthew H. Morgan is a managing partner at the Firm and a Minnesota State Bar Association Civil Trial Specialist. Much of Matt’s career has focused on litigating class and collective actions on behalf of individuals seeking minimum wage and overtime pay and fighting discrimination. Last fall, Matt first-chaired a nineteen-day age discrimination class action trial on behalf of nearly 1000 people against the federal government. Matt has been recognized as a Super Lawyer every year since 2014, and has been named to the Who’s Who in Employment Law by Minnesota Law and Politics. Matt formerly served as an adjunct faculty member at William Mitchell College of Law (now Mitchell Hamline) teaching representation skills to first-year students and advanced advocacy to second- and third-year students. Matt is a frequent lecturer at legal seminars, focusing on litigation-related topics including trials and taking 30(b)(6) depositions. Education: B.A. University of Minnesota 1996, J.D. William Mitchell College of Law 2000.


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Kai H. Richter is an experienced attorney who has fought for the rights of everyday people throughout his legal career. As one of the leaders of Nichols Kaster’s Consumer Class Action Team, Kai has handled numerous cases on behalf of consumers against banks, mortgage servicers, and other large companies, and successfully argued before the First Circuit Court of Appeals in Lass v. Bank of America, N.A., 695 F.3d 129 (1st Cir. 2012). In addition, Kai also is one of the leaders of the firm’s ERISA litigation team, and is currently spearheading several cases involving breach of fiduciary duty claims against companies for mismanagement of their employee retirement plans. During his tenure at the firm, Kai has negotiated several class action settlements that have made a combined total of more than $200 million in relief available to consumers nationwide. Prior to joining Nichols Kaster in April 2010, Kai managed the Complex Litigation Division of the Minnesota Attorney General's Office, where he supervised and handled a large number of consumer enforcement cases. For example, in June and September of 2009, Kai co-chaired a three-week trial involving claims for fraudulent sales of annuities and legal plans to over 1,200 Minnesota senior citizens and won a favorable judgment from the trial court. In addition, he also spearheaded a significant enforcement action against Sprint Nextel relating to wrongfully-imposed contracts and early termination fees. Kai also has several years of prior experience representing plaintiffs in private practice, including two landmark class actions. For example, in Braun v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., a statewide wage and hour class action against Wal-Mart, Kai briefed and successfully co-argued the issue of class certification and significantly participated in the three-month trial of the case, paving the way for a multi-million-dollar payout to Wal-Mart’s Minnesota workers. In addition, Kai was one of only three plaintiff trial attorneys in Grutter v. Bollinger, a landmark class action lawsuit against the University of Michigan Law School that was decided by the United States Supreme Court in 2003. Kai has taught legal writing at Hamline University and previously served as a co-director of the Robert F. Wagner Moot Court Program at the University of Minnesota Law School. Education: B.A. Dartmouth College 1995 cum laude, J.D. University of Minnesota cum laude.

Rachhana T. Srey is a Partner at Nichols Kaster, PLLP who has extensive litigation experience, primarily dedicating her legal practice to national wage and hour complex class and collective action employment litigation. She has been a zealous advocate for thousands of employees over her 14-year career, representing a wide variety of workers in many industries including those who work in healthcare, insurance, financial services, communications, retail, manufacturing, and security industries as well as federal sector employees. Rachhana’s exceptional case management and advocacy skills, dedication to her clients, strong work ethic and outgoing personality have earned her the respect of her clients and of her colleagues in the legal community. Rachhana has tried several wage and hour cases, most notably obtaining a jury verdict that was upheld by the Sixth Circuit in favor of a group of nearly three hundred cable installers. In addition to her wage and hour practice, Rachhana is also currently litigating a large age discrimination class case venued at the EEOC. She is active in several organizations, holding leadership positions in a few. Rachhana is currently the Co-Chair of the National Employment Lawyer Association's (“NELA”) Wage & Hour Committee and Practice Group and the Co-Chair of the Association of Justice's (“AAJ”) Wage & Hour Litigation Group. She is also an active Board Member of Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid. Rachhana is often invited to speak nationally and locally on a wide range of topics including class and collective action litigation strategies, wage and hour litigation,


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discovery issues, recent developments in the law, and age and gender discrimination. Education: B.A. University of Minnesota 2000, J.D. William Mitchell College of Law 2004 cum laude.

Matthew C. Helland is an experienced and tenacious litigator who has fought for workers’ and consumers’ rights throughout his career. Matt serves as the managing partner of Nichols Kaster’s San Francisco office, where he focuses his practice on class and collective wage and hour cases filed in California and throughout the country. Handling both large class actions and individual matters throughout this career, Matt has developed a record of success in significant and complex litigation. Matt litigates each of his cases with the same zealous advocacy and passionate protection of his clients’ rights, whether the case involves millions of dollars and thousands of clients, or thousands of dollars and one individual. In addition to representing workers across the country in wage and hour actions, Matt has also handled cases involving WARN Act violations, breach of contract, and severance negotiations. Matt is licensed in both California and Minnesota. Matt is an active volunteer at Workers' Rights Clinics through Legal Aid Work, where he supervises student attorneys in providing legal assistance to low wage workers. While attending the University of Minnesota Law School, Matt was a staff member and Managing Tribute Editor of the University of Minnesota Journal of Global Trade. He also participated in the Child Advocacy Clinic, representing the interests of children as a student attorney in both Family and Juvenile Court. Education: B.A. Rhodes College 2002 magna cum laude, J.D. University of Minnesota Law School 2005 magna cum laude.

David E. Schlesinger David Schlesinger is an experienced attorney who has been recognized for the quality of his work for employees. He is an MSBA Certified Employment Law Specialist who has been selected as a Super Lawyer for the last six years. He teaches Law in Practice at the University of Minnesota Law School and is the former president of the Minnesota Chapter of the National Employment Lawyers Association. David has successfully litigated a wide variety of employment claims, including several significant cases involving gender discrimination, cases under the Americans with Disabilities Act, and many other claims. His practice also includes an emphasis on the intersection of employment and business disputes, including litigation of breach of fiduciary duty and minority shareholder claims. He has effectively defended employees from non-compete and trade secret claims brought by their former employers. Education: B.A. Mary Washington College 2001 cum laude, J.D. University of Minnesota Law School 2006 cum laude.

Anna P. Prakash is a tough and determined litigator. Her practice focuses on complex class actions on behalf of protected groups and those harmed by corporate or governmental wrongdoing. Whether in the context of civil rights, illegal pay practices, loan issues, insurance coverage, consumer fraud, or other harm to vulnerable communities, Anna seeks out injustices to hold wrongdoers accountable and give all people a voice. She cares about and fights for her clients, brings a high level of skill and intellect to the fight, and has achieved great success for her clients in state and federal courts around the country, including the summary judgment victories referenced above in Huff, Hart, and Clincy, successful appeal in Bible v. United Student Aid Funds, and the trial verdict in FTS. Anna also serves on the Board of Directors of the Public Justice Foundation, a nationwide charitable organization supporting high-impact lawsuits to combat social and economic injustice and protect the Earth’s


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sustainability. She is a frequent speaker at national legal seminars, an adjunct professor of legal writing at the University of Minnesota Law School, and a past board member of the Minnesota chapter of the National Employment Lawyers’ Association. Education: B.A. University of Michigan 2002, J.D. Cornell Law School 2005.

Rebekah L. Bailey is a tireless advocate dedicated to civil rights and social justice. She has helped tens of thousands of employees and consumers recover millions of dollars primarily in complex class and collective actions across the country. Rebekah has worked on the firm’s wage and hour team and was a founding member of the consumer practice area as well as the firm’s civil rights and impact litigation group. Rebekah has been recognized as a Minnesota Super Lawyer every year since 2014. Over the years, she has served on numerous trial and arbitration teams, successfully first-chairing her first bench trial. Rebekah has achieved several affirmative summary judgment determinations and certification decisions, including in Henderson, Vaughan, Spar, and Norris-Wilson, mentioned above. Rebekah leads the firm’s e-discovery committee. She has spoken at national seminars on various topics, including electronic discovery, arbitration, discovery, equal pay, and various wage and hour issues. Rebekah is a practical instructor for the University of Minnesota’s Law & Practice course. Rebekah is very involved in the ABA’s Labor and Employment Law section. She serves as the employee vice chair of the section’s treatise committee; she is an associate editor for the FLSA Committee’s Mid-Winter Report; and she serves as a FLSL liaison to the ABA/LEL CLE Coordinating & Resources Committee. Education: B.S. Grand Valley State University 2004 magna cum laude, J.D. University of Minnesota Law School 2008 magna cum laude.

Reena I. Desai is a partner at Nichols Kaster, PLLP, in the firm’s Minneapolis office. She is a skilled and meticulous litigator, who has represented thousands of employees in class and collective actions to recover unpaid overtime, minimum wages, commissions, and other types of compensation. Reena has also advocated for employees in cases involving race, age and disability discrimination. She is a board member of a legal non-profit and frequently speaks at legal seminars and conferences across the country. Reena has dedicated the majority of her career to helping employees combat wage theft and recover unpaid overtime compensation, minimum wages, and other unpaid compensation. She has represented employees in a variety of industries, including investigators, home health care workers, loan officers, mortgage underwriters, field service technicians, sales representatives, and restaurant workers. Reena has also litigated discrimination cases on both a class and individual level, advocating for employees whose employers have discriminated against them because of their age, race or disability. Reena has been asked to share her knowledge and experience with her peers, serving as a speaker at several national conferences. She has lectured on topics including wage and hour litigation, electronic discovery issues, attorney-client privilege and mediation/settlement. Reena also serves on the Board of Directors for the Minnesota Justice Foundation, a legal non-profit in Minnesota, and has been named a Rising Star by Minnesota Super Lawyers every year since 2014. Education: B.A. George Washington University 2002 magna cum laude, J.D. University of Minnesota Law School 2007 cum laude.


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Robert L. Schug is a partner on Nichols Kaster’s Civil Rights and Impact Litigation team. Robert has more than a decade of experience litigating cases through trial in both court and arbitration. He has represented employees across the country on a variety of issues, including race, gender, and disability discrimination, employee misclassification, unpaid overtime, and unpaid wages. Robert previously served as Director of Litigation at the Impact Fund, a nationally recognized non-profit law firm in Berkeley, California devoted to achieving social justice through large scale impact litigation. He has been recognized as a Rising Star by Northern California and Minnesota Super Lawyers. He is licensed in California and Minnesota. Education: B.S. Middle Tennessee State University 2003 summa cum laude; J.D. William Mitchell College of Law 2006 summa cum laude.

Brock J. Specht has experience litigating complex multi-million-dollar lawsuits in numerous federal courts around the country and currently works with the firm’s national consumer class action team, assisting plaintiffs who have been harmed by big business. Prior to joining the firm, Brock worked with a major Twin Cities law firm, and as a clerk for two judges on the Minnesota Court of Appeals. Brock also has worked as a Special Assistant State Public Defender, pro bono, and as an Adjunct Professor of Law at the University of St. Thomas School of Law. Education: B.A. University of Minnesota 2002, J.D. University of St. Thomas School of Law 2007 magna cum laude.

Carl F. Engstrom is a partner on Nichols Kaster’s ERISA Litigation Team. As a founding member of the ERISA litigation group, Mr. Engstrom has been counsel of record in every case brought by the group since its inception in 2015. In that time, the ERISA litigation group has negotiated settlements totaling approximately $80 million on behalf of retirement plan participants shortchanged by excessive fees and imprudent retirement plan investments. Before joining Nichols Kaster, Mr. Engstrom clerked for judges at both the Minnesota Court of Appeals and Hennepin County District Court. Prior to entering the legal profession, Mr. Engstrom spent six years working as a financial advisor, providing retirement and investment advice to hundreds of clients, and earning the Certified Financial Planner™ designation. Education: B.A. Harvard College 1998, J.D. University of Minnesota Law School 2012 magna cum laude.

| Associate Biographies

Caroline E. Bressman is a member of the firm’s national wage and hour litigation team where she fiercely advocates for workers’ rights. Caroline is dedicated to furthering social justice and equity in the workplace on behalf of employees challenging their employers’ unfair practices. During law school, Caroline served as a staffer, and subsequently Symposium Articles Editor, for the Minnesota Law Review and clerked for a nonprofit legal and policy advocacy organization focused on addressing gender inequality. Caroline was also the recipient of the ABA-Bloomberg BNA Award for Excellence in Health Law. Education: B.A. St. Olaf College 2015 magna cum laude, J.D. University of Minnesota Law School 2018 cum laude.


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Daniel S. Brome worked with the California Labor Commissioner while in law school and served as the Editor-in-Chief of the Berkeley Journal of Employment and Labor Law, and as Director of the Workers’ Rights Clinic. After law school, Daniel worked with a California law firm representing workers and unions in arbitrations and litigation. Daniel continues pursuing his passion for employment law at Nichols Kaster, working with the firm’s national wage and hour team out of the San Francisco office. Education: B.A. Princeton University 2005, J.D. University of California Berkeley School of Law 2011.

Charles A. Delbridge is a member of Nichols Kaster’s individual rights practice group, representing employees who have been discriminated against for unlawful reasons. He has nearly a decade of experience as a civil litigator across a broad range of substantive practice areas. Charlie has been recognized as a “Minnesota Rising Star” by Super Lawyers magazine, and an “Up & Coming Attorney” by Minnesota Lawyer. He is active in professional organizations, having served as a member of the Board of Directors of both the Minnesota State Bar Association and Minnesota Continuing Legal Education. Education: B.A. University of Wisconsin-Madison 2003, J.D. William Mitchell College of Law 2006 magna cum laude.

Jay Eidsness is a member of the firm’s national class-action litigation team, fighting to ensure employees across the country are being paid fairly for their work. Prior to joining Nichols Kaster, Jay served as a law clerk to Ann D. Montgomery in United States District Court for the District of Minnesota. In law school, Jay worked as an editor for the Vermont Journal of Environmental Law and published articles on energy law and policy through Vermont Law School’s Institute for Energy and the Environment. Outside of Nichols Kaster, Jay advises a local nonprofit that provides scholarships to graduating high school students whose lives have been enriched through the game of soccer. Education: B.A. St. Johns University 2007, J.D. Vermont Law School 2013 cum laude.

Laura A. Farley is a member of Nichols Kaster’s individual rights litigation team and is dedicated to protecting the rights of current and former employees who face a wide-range of employment-related issues, including discrimination, harassment, retaliation, minority shareholder, and contract disputes. Prior to joining Nichols Kaster, Laura worked as an associate for a Minneapolis litigation firm, focusing on minority shareholder, employment, and contract disputes. During law school, Laura was on the Executive Board of the Minnesota Law Review, the board of the Women’s Legal Student Association, and volunteered with the Advocates for Human Rights. Prior to attending law school, Laura worked for a Fortune 100 company in business-to-business sales supporting operations and logistics in small businesses. Education: B.A. University of St. Thomas 2010 magna cum laude, J.D. University of Minnesota Law School 2015.

Kate Fisher is a Case Development Attorney for the Nichols Kaster’s Civil Rights and Impact Litigation Practice Group. In this role, she investigates new cases and works with other members of the Group to advance litigation. Education: B.A. College of St. Catherine 2006 summa cum laude; J.D. University of St. Thomas School of Law 2011 cum laude.


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Matthew A. Frank was named a 2017 Minnesota Lawyer of the Year. Matt attended the University of Michigan Law School as a Clarence Darrow Scholar. At graduation, he received the Robert S. Feldman Award for outstanding work in labor and employment law. Prior to joining Nichols Kaster in 2016, Matt clerked for the Hon. Susan N. Burke in Hennepin County District Court and practiced plaintiffs’ employment law at another Twin Cities firm. Matt is part of Nichols Kaster’s individual rights team. Education: B.A. University of Colorado Boulder 2002 summa cum laude, Philosophy Ph.D. (ABD) University of Minnesota, J.D. University of Michigan Law School 2013 cum laude.

Lucas J. Kaster is a skilled and seasoned trial lawyer focused on aggressive advocacy, creative solutions, and responsiveness to clients. As a member of Nichols Kaster’s individual rights team, Lucas represents clients in a wide-range of employment matters, including harassment, retaliation and discrimination claims. Lucas also represents clients in civil rights claims, such as police misconduct and prisoner rights.

Over his career, Lucas has tried many cases to verdict or decision. Most recently, Lucas represented a South Dakota law enforcement officer in a retaliation and sexual harassment lawsuit that resulted in a $1.2 million jury verdict. In a separate lawsuit, Lucas represented four golf course employees who were subject to harassment and retaliation in a court trial that resulted in a plaintiff’s verdict and treble damages under the Minnesota Human Rights Act (“MHRA”). Lucas uses this unique trial experience to drive litigation strategy and provide his clients the best possible representation. Lucas is also an experienced appellate advocate. In 2018, Lucas successfully argued before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in Michael Frost v. BNSF Railway Co., 9:15-cv-000124-DWM. The Ninth Circuit’s decision addressed a hotly debated subject under the Federal Railway Safety Act (“FRSA”). The question before the Court was whether the honest belief instruction was proper because the FRSA’s contributing factor standard required plaintiffs to separately prove discriminatory intent. In the opinion, the Ninth Circuit definitively held that there is no requirement that FRSA plaintiffs separately prove discriminatory intent, and thus the instruction was error. The oral argument and decision are available here. Due to his experience, Lucas is a well-respected and sought-after speaker. Lucas is a frequent presenter at the ABA’s Labor and Employment and Employment Rights and Responsibilities conferences. In February 2019, Lucas also spoke at the College of Labor and Employment Lawyer’s Regional Program for the 4th and 11th Circuits in Charleston, South Carolina. Lucas participated in a three-member panel titled: The #MeToo Movement One Year Later: Where Are We Now? Lucas is a member Twin Cities Diversity in Practice’s Emerging Leaders Group and a contributor to Nichols Kaster’s training and marketing committees.

Education: B.A. Villanova University 2004, J.D. Marquette University Law School 2011.

Michelle L. Kornblit is a member of of Nichols Kaster’s individual rights practice group and assists employees with a wide-range of claims, including discrimination, harassment, retaliation and whistleblower protection. Michelle has been dedicated to employee rights and challenging unfair


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employment practices her entire career. While in law school, Michelle interned with an Administrative Law Judge of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and with the Women’s Rights Project of the American Civil Liberties Union. Prior to joining Nichols Kaster, Michelle was an associate with a leading employment litigation firm in New York, representing employees in individual, multi-party and class action cases. Education: B.A. New York University 2010 cum laude, J.D. Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law 2014 cum laude.

Lindsey E. Krause is a member of Nichols Kaster’s individual rights practice group, where she is committed to preserving workplace fairness and seeking justice for those employees whose rights have been violated. She represents individuals who have been discriminated against or terminated for unlawful reasons, including their sex, race, age, disability, or for blowing the whistle on illegal activity. Lindsey also assists clients by reviewing and negotiating severance packages and non-competition agreements. She also currently handles the firm’s FOIA litigation docket, assisting organizations with obtaining government records to which they are entitled. Prior to joining Nichols Kaster, Lindsey served as a judicial law clerk for the Honorable Frank J. Kundrat in St. Cloud, Minnesota. During law school, Lindsey was a Lead Editor on the Journal of Law & Inequality and the President of the Women’s Law Student Association. Education: B.A. College of St. Benedict 2011 magna cum laude and with distinction; J.D. University of Minnesota Law School 2016.

Brandon T. McDonough is a member of Nichols Kaster’s ERISA litigation team where he represents current and former employees whose retirement accounts have been shortchanged due to excessive fees, imprudent investments, employer self-dealing, and general mismanagement. Prior to joining the firm, Brandon practiced plaintiffs-side consumer and civil rights law. Education: B.A. University of Chicago 2007, J.D. University of Minnesota Law School 2012 cum laude.

Chloe A. O’Neill is a member of Nichols Kaster’s ERISA litigation team where she represents current and former employees whose retirement accounts have been shortchanged due to excessive fees, imprudent investments, employer self-dealing, and other mismanagement. Prior to joining Nichols Kaster, she clerked for Justice Anne McKeig on the Minnesota Supreme Court. During law school, Chloe served as the editor-in-chief of the University of St. Thomas Law Journal, worked as a litigation law clerk for the League of Minnesota Cities, interned with the Advocates for Human Rights, and represented consumers in Chapter 7 bankruptcy proceedings. Prior to law school, Chloe gained additional writing experience as well as employee benefits knowledge as a communications specialist with a focus on human resources topics. Education: B.A. University of Florida 2008 summa cum laude, J.D. University of St. Thomas School of Law 2016 magna cum laude.

Neil Pederson has been practicing law with the firm since October 2017. Prior to that, he clerked for the Honorable Karen A. Janisch in Hennepin County State District Court. His practice has focused on national class action employment discrimination litigation and national wage and hour class and collective action litigation. He has represented hundreds, if not thousands, of workers who have been discriminated against or who are seeking to recover lost wages, including overtime pay and minimum wages, through collective, class, and hybrid actions. Since he started at Nichols Kaster, Neil has worked


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on multiple class and collective actions, involving positions such as railroad workers, home health aides, delivery drivers, oil field workers, and nurses. Neil has handled managing discovery and filing class certification and other motions in these cases. In addition to being a litigation associate at the firm, Neil also works with its Business Development Group, which originates class and collective actions. Neil is also a contributing editor to the ABA Section of Labor and Employment Law’s Fair Labor Standards Act Midwinter Report. Neil volunteers as an attorney for the Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid’s Housing Section Education: B.A. University of Minnesota 2007 summa cum laude, Political Science Ph.D. work University of Chicago 2008-2010, J.D. William Mitchell College of Law 2015 summa cum laude.

Jacob T. Schutz is a member of Nichols Kaster’s ERISA litigation team where he represents current and former employees whose retirement accounts have been shortchanged due to excessive fees, imprudent investments, employer self-dealing, and general mismanagement. In law school, Jacob was an editor of the ABA Journal of Labor & Employment Law and published an article on the association provision of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Prior to joining Nichols Kaster, he was an associate in a firm acting as general counsel for Taft-Hartley employee benefit funds. Education: B.A. University of Pennsylvania 2010, J.D. University of Minnesota Law School 2013 magna cum laude.

Mark E. Thomson is a member of Nichols Kaster’s ERISA and consumer litigation teams where he represents current and former employees whose retirement accounts have been shortchanged due to excessive fees, imprudent investments, employer self-dealing, and general mismanagement, as well as consumers who have been harmed by corporate wrongdoing. Prior to joining Nichols Kaster, he clerked for Justice David Lillehaug and Justice Anne McKeig on the Minnesota Supreme Court. During law school, Mark was an editor of the Harvard Civil Rights-Civil Liberties Law Review and interned with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the National Consumer Law Center, and the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office. Education: B.A. University of Minnesota 2011 summa cum laude, J.D. Harvard Law School 2016.

| Staff Attorney Biographies

Laura A. Baures is dedicated to fighting for employees and applicants who have been discriminated against for unlawful reasons including on the bases of their age, disability, race, color, national origin, religion, and sex. In addition, she helps employees pursue their fair and equal wages owed in the eyes of the law. Her work focuses primarily on representing classes fighting against discrimination. Laura has experience in both federal and private sector matters. During law school, Laura won the MSBA Labor and Employment Law Section Law Student Award in Labor Law. Laura participated in the AAJ Regional Trial Competition, was president of the Women Law Students Association, and volunteered for over 100 hours through the Minnesota Justice Foundation working as certified student attorney for the Washington County Public Defender’s Office and at Eldercare Rights Alliance. She also completed an externship with the Honorable Gail Chang Bohr at Minnesota’s Second Judicial District. Before law school, Laura worked for a local company that provides residential care for people with disabilities where she discovered her passion for employment law. Education: B.A. University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire cum laude, J.D. William Mitchell College of Law.


EXHIBIT 2


Velazquez, et al. v. Massachusetts Financial Services Company, et al. Court File No. 1:17-cv-11249 (RWZ) (April 25, 2017 – September 27, 2019)

Lodestar by Nichols Kaster, PLLP Time Keeper:

Partners:

Name Years of Experience

Billing Rate Per Hour

Hours Charges

Paul Lukas 28 $875 70.2 $61,425 Kai Richter 20 $775 237.80 $184,837.50 Brock Specht 12 $625 177.3 $110,812.50 Carl Engstrom 5 $575 321.5 $184,862.50

Associate Attorneys:

Name Years of Experience

Billing Rate Per Hour

Hours Charges

Jacob Schutz 6 $525 39.7 $20,842.50 Brandon McDonough 6 $575 1.7 $977.50 Mark Thomson 3 $425 576.2 $244,885 Eleanor Frisch 3 $425 42.6 $18,105 Chloe O’Neill 3 $425 130.3 $55,377.50 Benjamin Bauer 2 $425 139.3 $59,202.50

Law Clerks/Paralegals/Support Staff:

Name Billing Rate Per Hour

Hours Charges

Steve Eiden $250 27.2 $6,800 Sean Kelly $250 28.5 $7,125 Anna Schwingler $250 59.2 $14,800 Karla Pathmann $250 177.7 $44,250 Liz Luebesmier $250 19.3 $4,825 Caitlin Thomson $250 21.1 $5,275 Angi Kittelson $250 24.3 $6,075 Cameron Pylka $250 11.3 $2,825

Nichols Kaster, PLLP Total (Attorneys and Support Staff) $1,033,302.50

Block & Leviton, LLP Reported Total (Attorneys and Support Staff) $4,438

MKLLC Reported Total (Attorneys and Support Staff) $143,950

GRAND TOTAL (ALL COUNSEL) $1,181,690.50


EXHIBIT 3


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Valeo 2018 Attorney

Hourly Rate Report

2018 An exclusive report by


Valeo 2018 Attorney Hourly Rate Report

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Table of Contents Executive Summary .............................................................................................................................. 34

Section-1: Rates & Projections for the Top 200 ................................................................................. 35

AMLAW (1-10) .................................................................................................................................... 35

AMLAW (1-50) .................................................................................................................................... 36

AMLAW (1-100) .................................................................................................................................. 37

AMLAW (101-200) .............................................................................................................................. 38

NON-AMLAW ...................................................................................................................................... 39

Section-2: Rates & Projections for Associates by Class Year .......................................................... 40

AMLAW (1-10) .................................................................................................................................... 40

AMLAW (1-50) .................................................................................................................................... 41

AMLAW (1-100) .................................................................................................................................. 42

AMLAW (101-200) .............................................................................................................................. 43

NON-AMLAW ...................................................................................................................................... 44

Section-3: Individual Firms Rates & Projections ................................................................................. 45

#1 Latham & Watkins LLP ................................................................................................................. 45

#2 Kirkland & Ellis LLP ......................................................................................................................... 69

#3 Baker & McKenzie LLP ............................................................................................................... 104

#4 Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP ........................................................................... 127

#5 DLA Piper ..................................................................................................................................... 154

#6 Jones Day ................................................................................................................................... 185

#7 Sidley Austin LLP ......................................................................................................................... 216

#8 Hogan Lovells LLP ....................................................................................................................... 239

#9 Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP .................................................................................................... 263

#10 Norton Rose Fulbright LLP ....................................................................................................... 284

#11 White & Case LLP ..................................................................................................................... 307

#12 Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP ................................................................................................ 325

#13 Ropes & Gray LLP..................................................................................................................... 354

#14 Greenberg Traurig LLP ............................................................................................................ 377

#15 Sullivan & Cromwell LLP .......................................................................................................... 410

#16 Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP ............................................................................................. 426

#17 Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP .................................................................................. 438

#18 Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP .................................................................................................. 455

#19 Mayer Brown LLP ...................................................................................................................... 480



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#20 Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP ....................................................................... 494

#21 Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, LLP .............................................................................. 511

#22 Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP ...................................................................................................... 528

#23 K&L Gates LLP ........................................................................................................................... 544

#24 Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP .......................................................................... 572

#25 Reed Smith LLP ......................................................................................................................... 587

#26 Paul Hastings LLP ...................................................................................................................... 607

#27 King & Spalding ........................................................................................................................ 629

#28 Squire Patton Boggs ................................................................................................................ 649

#29 Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP .................................................................................... 670

#30 Cooley LLP ................................................................................................................................ 698

#31 Morrison & Foerster LLP ............................................................................................................ 721

#32 Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP ........................................................................................... 748

#33 Shearman & Sterling LLP ......................................................................................................... 764

#34 Goodwin Procter LLP ............................................................................................................... 776

#35 Dechert LLP ............................................................................................................................... 792

#36 McDermott Will & Emery LLP .................................................................................................. 806

#37 Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy LLP ................................................................................ 822

#38 Proskauer Rose LLP .................................................................................................................. 839

#39 Baker Botts LLP .......................................................................................................................... 860

#40 Covington & Burling LLP .......................................................................................................... 878

#41 Winston & Strawn LLP .............................................................................................................. 891

#42 Holland & Knight LLP ............................................................................................................... 908

#43 Perkins Coie LLP ........................................................................................................................ 922

#44 Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz .............................................................................................. 941

#45 Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, PC ................................................................................... 946

#46 Cravath, Swaine & Moore, LLP .............................................................................................. 954

#47 Debevoise & Plimpton LLP ...................................................................................................... 959

#48 Alston & Bird LLP ....................................................................................................................... 969

#49 O'Melveny & Myers LLP ........................................................................................................... 981

#50 Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP .................................................................................................... 998

#51 McGuireWoods LLP ............................................................................................................... 1015

#52 Foley & Lardner LLP ............................................................................................................... 1037

#53 Vinson & Elkins LLP .................................................................................................................. 1061



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#54 Baker & Hostetler LLP ............................................................................................................. 1077

#55 Arnold & Porter LLP ................................................................................................................ 1100

#56 Seyfarth Shaw LLP .................................................................................................................. 1114

#57 Bryan Cave LLP ...................................................................................................................... 1126

#58 Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP ......................................................................... 1147

#59 Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP ................................................................................... 1168

#60 Locke Lord Edwards .............................................................................................................. 1185

#61 Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP ....................................................................... 1203

#62 Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP ............................................................................................. 1214

#63 Hunton & Williams LLP ........................................................................................................... 1222

#65 Littler Mendelson P.C. ........................................................................................................... 1240

#66 Venable LLP ............................................................................................................................ 1250

#67 Troutman Sanders LLP ........................................................................................................... 1266

#68 Faegre Baker Daniels ............................................................................................................ 1283

#69 Nixon Peabody LLP ................................................................................................................ 1299

#70 Jenner & Block LLP ................................................................................................................. 1313

#71 Duane Morris LLP .................................................................................................................... 1330

#72 Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP ................................................................................. 1344

#73 Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith LLP ..................................................................................... 1352

#74 Polsinelli PC ............................................................................................................................. 1362

#75 Crowell & Moring LLP ............................................................................................................ 1378

#75 Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP ................................................................................................... 1387

#77 Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C. ............................................................. 1398

#78 Blank Rome LLP ...................................................................................................................... 1403

#79 Williams & Connolly LLP ......................................................................................................... 1420

#80 Fox Rothschild LLP .................................................................................................................. 1426

#80 Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP .................................................................................... 1449

#82 Boies, Schiller & Flexner, LLP ................................................................................................. 1466

#83 Schulte Roth & Zabel LLP ...................................................................................................... 1471

#84 Fish & Richardson PC ............................................................................................................. 1481

#84 Jackson Lewis LLP .................................................................................................................. 1486

#86 Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC .................................................... 1495

#87 Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP ................................................................................................ 1513

#88 Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP ............................................................................. 1522



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#89 Cozen O'Connor .................................................................................................................... 1531

#90 Haynes and Boone, LLP ........................................................................................................ 1549

#91 Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky & Popeo, P.C. ............................................................. 1568

#92 Barnes & Thornburg LLP......................................................................................................... 1578

#93 Fenwick & West LLP ............................................................................................................... 1587

#94 Steptoe & Johnson LLP ......................................................................................................... 1594

#95 Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP..................................................................................... 1604

#96 Husch Blackwell LLP ............................................................................................................... 1619

#97 Akerman LLP ........................................................................................................................... 1632

#98 Pepper Hamilton LLP ............................................................................................................. 1646

#99 Ballard Spahr LLP .................................................................................................................... 1660

#100 Shook, Hardy & Bacon L.L.P. .............................................................................................. 1674

#101 Davis Wright Tremaine LLP .................................................................................................. 1681

#102 Dorsey & Whitney LLC ......................................................................................................... 1694

#103 Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP ............................................................................................ 1710

#104 Kaye Scholer LLP .................................................................................................................. 1725

#105 Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner LLP ................................................ 1735

#106 Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP ............................................................................................. 1740

#107 Sutherland Asbill & Brennan LLP ........................................................................................ 1757

#108 Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC ..................................................................................... 1763

#109 Wilson, Elser, Moskowitz, Edelman & Dicker LLP .............................................................. 1773

#110 Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani, LLP ............................................................................... 1780

#111 Andrews Kurth LLP................................................................................................................ 1791

#112 Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP ................................................................................... 1803

#113 Arent Fox LLP ........................................................................................................................ 1819

#114 Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice PLLC ......................................................................... 1839

#115 Bracewell LLP ........................................................................................................................ 1854

#116 Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP .......................................................................................... 1869

#117 Loeb & Loeb LLP .................................................................................................................. 1885

#118 Quarles & Brady LLP ............................................................................................................ 1895

#119 Snell & Wilmer LLP ................................................................................................................ 1909

#120 Lowenstein Sandler PC ....................................................................................................... 1926

#121 Holland & Hart LLP ............................................................................................................... 1943

#122 Jackson Walker LLP ............................................................................................................. 1958



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#123 Stinson Leonard Street LLP .................................................................................................. 1970

#124 Kelley Drye & Warren LLP .................................................................................................... 1989

#125 Vedder Price PC .................................................................................................................. 2001

#126 McCarter & English LLP ....................................................................................................... 2006

#127 Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP ................................................................................................. 2021

#128 Chadbourne & Parke LLP ................................................................................................... 2028

#129 Dinsmore & Shohl LLP .......................................................................................................... 2036

#130 Kutak Rock, LLP .................................................................................................................... 2048

#131 Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP .................................................................................................. 2058

#132 Schiff Hardin LLP ................................................................................................................... 2068

#133 Knobbe Martens .................................................................................................................. 2077

#134 Dykema Gossett PLLC ......................................................................................................... 2081

#135 Choate Hall & Stewart LLP ................................................................................................. 2091

#136 Frost Brown Todd LLC .......................................................................................................... 2099

#138 Stoel Rives LLP ....................................................................................................................... 2113

#139 Thompson & Knight LLP ....................................................................................................... 2123

#140 Winstead PC ......................................................................................................................... 2135

#141 Wiley Rein LLP ....................................................................................................................... 2140

#142 Dickinson Wright LLP ............................................................................................................ 2153

#143 Honigman Miller Schwartz and Cohn LLP ........................................................................ 2168

#144 Thompson Coburn LLP ........................................................................................................ 2179

#145 Thompson Hine LLP .............................................................................................................. 2193

#146 Carlton Fields Jorden Burt, P.A. ......................................................................................... 2208

#147 Chapman and Cutler LLP .................................................................................................. 2215

#148 Brown Rudnick LLP ............................................................................................................... 2219

#149 Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease LLP ............................................................................... 2234

#150 Moore & Van Allen PLLC .................................................................................................... 2245

#151 Foley Hoag LLP ..................................................................................................................... 2252

#152 Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler LLP ................................................................................ 2259

#153 Irell & Manella LLP ................................................................................................................ 2264

#154 Curtis, Mallet-Prevost, Colt & Mosle LLP ........................................................................... 2274

#155 Fisher & Phillips LLP ............................................................................................................... 2288

#156 Ice Miller LLP ......................................................................................................................... 2296

#157 Sedgwick LLP ........................................................................................................................ 2307



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#158 Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck LLP ................................................................................ 2315

#159 Robins Kaplan LLP ................................................................................................................ 2328

#160 Day Pitney LLP ...................................................................................................................... 2334

#161 Allen Matkins Leck Gamble Mallory & Natsis LLP............................................................ 2343

#162 LeClairRyan ........................................................................................................................... 2349

#163 Lewis Roca Rothgerber Christie LLP .................................................................................. 2366

#164 Goulston & Storrs PC ............................................................................................................ 2374

#165 GrayRobinson PA ................................................................................................................. 2382

#166 Saul Ewing LLP ...................................................................................................................... 2389

#167 Clark Hill PLC ......................................................................................................................... 2405

#168 Gardere Wynne Sewell LLP ................................................................................................ 2411

#169 Shutts & Bowen LLP .............................................................................................................. 2425

#170 Lathrop & Gage LLP ............................................................................................................ 2428

#171 Adams and Reese LLP ........................................................................................................ 2438

#172 Burr & Forman LLP ................................................................................................................ 2446

#173 BuckleySandler LLP .............................................................................................................. 2458

#174 Williams Mullen, P.C. ............................................................................................................ 2462

#175 Michael Best & Friedrich LLP............................................................................................... 2465

#177 Morris, Manning & Martin, LLP ............................................................................................ 2468

#178 McElroy, Deutsch, Mulvaney & Carpenter, LLP .............................................................. 2473

#179 Armstrong Teasdale LLP ...................................................................................................... 2479

#180 Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick, LLP ....................................................................................... 2488

#181 Phelps Dunbar LLP ............................................................................................................... 2500

#182 Miles & Stockbridge, P.C. ................................................................................................... 2505

#183 Miller Canfield Paddock & Stone PLC .............................................................................. 2514

#184 Robinson & Cole LLP ........................................................................................................... 2519

#185 Jeffer Mangels Butler & Mitchell LLP ................................................................................. 2523

#186 Porter Wright Morris & Arthur LLP ....................................................................................... 2534

#187 Bond, Schoeneck & King, PLLC ......................................................................................... 2539

#188 Sherman & Howard LLC ..................................................................................................... 2546

#189 Gibbons PC .......................................................................................................................... 2553

#190 Hinckley Allen & Snyder LLP ............................................................................................... 2560

#192 Lane Powell PC .................................................................................................................... 2564

#193 Sullivan & Worcester LLP ..................................................................................................... 2570



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#194 Rutan & Tucker LLP .............................................................................................................. 2578

#195 Benesch, Friedlander, Coplan & Aronoff LLP .................................................................. 2585

#196 Smith, Gambrell & Russell LLP ............................................................................................. 2596

#197 Arnall Golden Gregory LLP ................................................................................................. 2599

#198 Strasburger & Price, LLP ...................................................................................................... 2608

#199 Procopio, Cory, Hargreaves & Savitch LLP ...................................................................... 2616

#200 Archer & Greiner, P.C. ........................................................................................................ 2620

A&L Goodbody ............................................................................................................................. 2629

Aaronson, Dickerson, Cohn & Lanzone ..................................................................................... 2633

Abrolat Law pc .............................................................................................................................. 2635

Acker & Whipple ............................................................................................................................ 2637

Addleshaw Goddard LLP ............................................................................................................. 2638

Adler Pollock & Sheehan PC ....................................................................................................... 2641

ADVISES Partnerschaft von Rechtsanwälten, Wirtschaftsprüfern und Steuerberatern ...... 2646

Ahlers & Cooney, P.C. .................................................................................................................. 2648

Aiken Schenk Hawkins & Ricciardi P.C. ...................................................................................... 2651

Aird & Berlis LLP............................................................................................................................... 2654

Albright Yee & Schmit, APC ......................................................................................................... 2659

Aleshire & Wynder, LLP ................................................................................................................. 2661

Allen Barnes & Jones, PLC ............................................................................................................ 2664

Allison, MacKenzie, Pavlakis, Wright & Fagan, Ltd. .................................................................. 2668

Alston Hunt Floyd & Ing ................................................................................................................. 2670

Altshuler Berzon LLP ....................................................................................................................... 2672

Alvarado Smith .............................................................................................................................. 2675

Alvarez-Glasman & Colvin ........................................................................................................... 2677

American Center for Law & Justice ........................................................................................... 2679

Andante Law Group of Daniel E. Garrison, PLLC ..................................................................... 2681

Anderson Kill & Olick PC ............................................................................................................... 2685

Anderson Law ................................................................................................................................ 2689

Anglin Flewelling Rasmussen Campbell & Trytten, LLP ............................................................ 2691

Anthony & Partners, LLC ............................................................................................................... 2693

Anthony Ostlund Baer & Louwagie P.A. .................................................................................... 2696

Appleby Global Group Services Limited ................................................................................... 2699

Arboleda Brechner ........................................................................................................................ 2702



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Ari Law, P.C. ................................................................................................................................... 2705

Arnold & Arnold, LLP ...................................................................................................................... 2708

Arnold Bloch Leibler ...................................................................................................................... 2711

Arnstein & Lehr, LLP ....................................................................................................................... 2713

Arrastia, Capote & Phang, LLP .................................................................................................... 2718

Ashbaugh Beal LLP ........................................................................................................................ 2721

Ashurst LLP ....................................................................................................................................... 2723

Askounis & Darcy, PC .................................................................................................................... 2731

Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo .................................................................................. 2734

Babst Calland Clements and Zomnir, P.C. ................................................................................ 2740

Baird Holm LLP ................................................................................................................................ 2743

Balch & Bingham LLP .................................................................................................................... 2746

Ballard Rosenberg Golper & Savitt, LLP ..................................................................................... 2752

Banker Lopez Gassler P.A. ............................................................................................................ 2754

Banner & Witcoff, Ltd. ................................................................................................................... 2756

Barg Coffin Lewis & Trapp, LLP .................................................................................................... 2759

Barrasso Usdin Kupperman Freeman & Sarver, L.L.C. .............................................................. 2762

Barrera, Siqueiros y Torres Landa, S.C. ........................................................................................ 2764

Barry Corrado & Grassi, P.C. ........................................................................................................ 2768

Basham, Ringe y Correa SC ......................................................................................................... 2770

Bass Berry & Sims PLC .................................................................................................................... 2773

Battle, Winslow, Scott & Wiley, P.A.............................................................................................. 2781

Baylor Evnen Curtis Grimit & Witt, LLP ......................................................................................... 2783

Beach Cowdrey Owen, LLP ......................................................................................................... 2785

Beirne, Maynard & Parsons, L.L.P. ............................................................................................... 2788

Bell Legal Group ............................................................................................................................ 2790

Bennett Jones LLP .......................................................................................................................... 2792

Berger & Montague, P.C. ............................................................................................................. 2798

Bergeson LLP .................................................................................................................................. 2800

Berman Litigation Group .............................................................................................................. 2802

Bernstein Litowitz ............................................................................................................................ 2804

Bernstein, Shur, Sawyer & Nelson, P.A. ....................................................................................... 2806

Berry & Beckett .............................................................................................................................. 2817

Berry Law PLLC ............................................................................................................................... 2819



10 | P a g e

Best Best & Krieger LLP .................................................................................................................. 2821

Bieging Shapiro & Barber LLP ....................................................................................................... 2827

Birch Horton Bittner & Cherot....................................................................................................... 2830

Birch, Stewart, Kolasch & Birch, LLP ............................................................................................ 2833

Black McCuskey Souers & Arbaugh, LPA .................................................................................. 2836

Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP ..................................................................................................... 2839

Blakely Sokoloff Taylor & Zafman LLP .......................................................................................... 2842

Bodman PLC .................................................................................................................................. 2844

Boehl Stopher & Graves, LLP ........................................................................................................ 2847

Bogatz & Associates, P.C. ............................................................................................................ 2850

BoltNagi PC .................................................................................................................................... 2852

Boni & Zack LLC ............................................................................................................................. 2854

Borden Ladner Gervais LLP .......................................................................................................... 2856

Bose McKinney & Evans LLP ......................................................................................................... 2860

Bostwick Law .................................................................................................................................. 2865

Bowie & Jensen LLC ...................................................................................................................... 2867

Bowie, Arneson, Wiles & Giannone ............................................................................................ 2870

Boyd & Jenerette, P.A. ................................................................................................................. 2872

Bradley Curley Asiano Barrabee Abel & Kowalski, P.C. .......................................................... 2875

Bradley Legal Group, P.A. ............................................................................................................ 2877

Bradshaw, Fowler, Proctor & Fairgrave, P.C. ............................................................................. 2880

Bragar Eagel & Squire, P.C. .......................................................................................................... 2885

Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson, LLP ................................................................................................. 2888

Bredin Prat ...................................................................................................................................... 2894

Brent A. Caphart PLC .................................................................................................................... 2897

Bressler, Amery & Ross ................................................................................................................... 2899

Bricker & Eckler LLP ........................................................................................................................ 2901

Briggs and Morgan PA .................................................................................................................. 2904

Brinks Gilson & Lione ...................................................................................................................... 2909

Broad and Cassel .......................................................................................................................... 2913

Brooks, Pierce, McLendon, Humphrey & Leonard LLP ............................................................ 2917

Browning-Smith P.C. ...................................................................................................................... 2926

Bryan Gonzalez Vargas & Gonzalez Baz ................................................................................... 2928

Bryant Miller Olive .......................................................................................................................... 2930



11 | P a g e

Buchalter Nemer ........................................................................................................................... 2932

Bufete Ignacio Arturo Guajardo S.C. ......................................................................................... 2937

Burke, Williams & Sorensen, LLP ................................................................................................... 2940

Burns & Levinson LLP ...................................................................................................................... 2947

Business Litigation Associates, P.C. ............................................................................................. 2950

Bustamante, Escandon & Pareyon............................................................................................. 2952

Butler Snow LLP............................................................................................................................... 2956

Butzel Long PC ............................................................................................................................... 2966

C.R. Hodge & Associates ............................................................................................................. 2972

Cades Schutte ............................................................................................................................... 2975

Cadwell Sanford Deibert & Garry ............................................................................................... 2977

Calfee, Halter & Griswold LLP ...................................................................................................... 2979

Callister & Associates .................................................................................................................... 2987

Campbells ...................................................................................................................................... 2990

Cantey Hanger LLP ....................................................................................................................... 2993

Caplin & Drysdale, Chartered ..................................................................................................... 2996

Capozzi & Associates, P.C. .......................................................................................................... 3002

Careta Advogados ....................................................................................................................... 3005

Carlson & Messer LLP .................................................................................................................... 3007

Carlson Dash, LLC .......................................................................................................................... 3009

Carmen D. Caruso Law Firm ........................................................................................................ 3012

Carmichael & Powell, P.C. ........................................................................................................... 3015

Carmody Torrance Sandak & Hennessey, LLP.......................................................................... 3018

Carpenter, Rothans & Dumont ................................................................................................... 3020

Carr & Palmer, LLP ......................................................................................................................... 3022

Carruthers & Roth, PA ................................................................................................................... 3024

Carter Ledyard & Milburn LLP ...................................................................................................... 3026

Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP ...................................................................................................... 3030

Cervantes Sainz ............................................................................................................................. 3037

Chaffe McCall ............................................................................................................................... 3040

Chaitons LLP ................................................................................................................................... 3043

Chang, Ruthenberg & Long PC .................................................................................................. 3046

Charles Goetsch Law Offices ...................................................................................................... 3048

Cheng Cohen ................................................................................................................................ 3050



12 | P a g e

Chien Yeh Law Offices ................................................................................................................. 3053

Christensen & Jensen, PC ............................................................................................................ 3055

Chronakis Kaplan, LLC .................................................................................................................. 3059

Cislo & Thomas LLP ........................................................................................................................ 3061

City-Yuwa Partners ........................................................................................................................ 3064

Cleveland, Waters and Bass, P.A. ............................................................................................... 3066

Coblentz Patch Duffy & Bass, LLP ............................................................................................... 3068

Cohen & Grigsby, P.C. .................................................................................................................. 3074

Cohen & Lord ................................................................................................................................. 3077

Cohen Kennedy Dowd & Quigley .............................................................................................. 3079

Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll PLLC ................................................................................................ 3082

Colantuono & Levin, PC ............................................................................................................... 3086

Cole Pedroza LLP ........................................................................................................................... 3088

Cole Schotz P.C. ............................................................................................................................ 3090

Collen IP P.C. .................................................................................................................................. 3105

Connell Foley LLP ........................................................................................................................... 3109

Conner & Winters LLP .................................................................................................................... 3111

Conyers Dill & Pearman Limited .................................................................................................. 3115

Cooley Manion Jones LLP ............................................................................................................ 3117

Cooper & Dunham ....................................................................................................................... 3122

Cooper, White & Cooper LLP ...................................................................................................... 3126

Copeland, Cook, Taylor and Bush, P.A. ..................................................................................... 3129

Coppersmith Brockelman PLC .................................................................................................... 3133

Cornelius & Collins, LLP ................................................................................................................. 3135

Corr Cronin Michelson Baumgardner & Preece LLP ................................................................ 3138

Cota Cole LLP ................................................................................................................................ 3142

Coughlin and Gerhart, L.L.P. ....................................................................................................... 3144

Cox Castle & Nicholson LLP ......................................................................................................... 3146

Cranfill Sumner & Hartzog LLP ...................................................................................................... 3149

Creel, Garcia-Cuellar, Aiza y Enriquez ....................................................................................... 3151

Crinion Davis & Richardson LLP ................................................................................................... 3155

Crosta & Bateman, LLP ................................................................................................................. 3157

Crowe & Dunlevy .......................................................................................................................... 3159

Crowley & Lamb P.C. .................................................................................................................... 3164



13 | P a g e

Cuatrecasas, Gonçalves Pereira ................................................................................................ 3168

Cullen & Dykman, LLP ................................................................................................................... 3171

Dacheng (Dentons) ...................................................................................................................... 3176

Dady & Gardner, P.A. ................................................................................................................... 3178

Daley & Heft LLP ............................................................................................................................ 3180

Dannis Woliver Kelley .................................................................................................................... 3182

d'Arcambal Ousley & Cuyler Burk LLP ........................................................................................ 3185

David M. Duree and Associates, P.C. ........................................................................................ 3188

David, Goodman & Madole ....................................................................................................... 3190

Davidson Law Group .................................................................................................................... 3192

Davies Pearson .............................................................................................................................. 3194

Davies Ward Phillips & Vinberg, LLP ............................................................................................ 3197

Davis & Gilbert LLP ......................................................................................................................... 3201

Davis Graham & Stubbs LLP ......................................................................................................... 3205

Dawda, Mann, Mulcahy & Sadler, PLC ..................................................................................... 3214

De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek ................................................................................................ 3218

De Lay & Laredo ............................................................................................................................ 3222

De Pardieu Brocas Maffei ............................................................................................................ 3224

Deacons ......................................................................................................................................... 3227

Dean Browning Webb .................................................................................................................. 3230

DeConcini McDonald Yetwin & Lacy, P.C. ............................................................................... 3233

Deeth Williams Wall LLP ................................................................................................................ 3235

Deloitte ............................................................................................................................................ 3237

Dennis J. Wortman, P.C. ............................................................................................................... 3239

DeNovo Legal, LLC........................................................................................................................ 3242

Deutsch Kerrigan LLP .................................................................................................................... 3244

Devereux Murphy LLC................................................................................................................... 3246

Devine Millimet & Branch PA ....................................................................................................... 3248

Dieterich & Mazarei, LP................................................................................................................. 3250

Dilworth Paxson LLP ....................................................................................................................... 3252

Doerner Saunders Daniel & Anderson LLP ................................................................................. 3264

Donahue Fitzgerald LLP ................................................................................................................ 3267

Donald S. Varian, Jr. ...................................................................................................................... 3270

Donoghue Barrett & Singal PC .................................................................................................... 3272



14 | P a g e

Downey Brand LLP ......................................................................................................................... 3274

Dudley, Topper and Feuerzeig, LLP ............................................................................................ 3281

Duell Law Firm, LLC ........................................................................................................................ 3284

Duensing, Casner & Fitzsimmons ................................................................................................. 3286

Durbin, Larimore and Bialick, P.C. ............................................................................................... 3289

Durie Tangri LLP .............................................................................................................................. 3291

Dykema Cox Smith ........................................................................................................................ 3294

E.P. Bud Kirk Law ............................................................................................................................ 3304

E.S. Shimron, I. Molho, Persky & Co. ............................................................................................ 3306

Eaton Peabody, PA ....................................................................................................................... 3308

Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott LLC ........................................................................................ 3310

Eddleman & Clark ......................................................................................................................... 3315

Edelman, Combs, Latturner & Goodwin, LLC ........................................................................... 3317

Eglick Kiker Whited PLLC ............................................................................................................... 3320

Eisenhower Carlson, PLLC ............................................................................................................ 3323

Eisner, Kahan & Gorry, P.C. .......................................................................................................... 3325

Elkins PLC ......................................................................................................................................... 3328

Ellett Law Offices, P.C. .................................................................................................................. 3331

Elliott Greenleaf ............................................................................................................................. 3334

Ellis Buehler Makus LLP ................................................................................................................... 3337

Engelman Berger, P.C. .................................................................................................................. 3339

Epiq Systems ................................................................................................................................... 3342

Epping Hermann Fischer Patentanwaltsgesellschaft mbH ..................................................... 3344

Epstein Becker Green PC ............................................................................................................. 3347

Eric Ollason Attorney at Law ....................................................................................................... 3353

Ernst & Young ................................................................................................................................. 3355

Ervin Cohen & Jessup LLP ............................................................................................................. 3356

Eversheds LLP ................................................................................................................................. 3360

Fagen Friedman & Fulfrost LLP ..................................................................................................... 3366

Fangda Partners ............................................................................................................................ 3369

Farella Braun & Martel LLP ............................................................................................................ 3372

Farrell Fritz PC.................................................................................................................................. 3377

Fasken Martineau Dumoulin LLP ................................................................................................. 3383

Felsberg Advogados ..................................................................................................................... 3388



15 | P a g e

Fennemore Craig, P.C. ................................................................................................................. 3393

Ferguson Praet & Sherman .......................................................................................................... 3399

Ferrero Abogados ......................................................................................................................... 3401

Fiddler Gonzalez & Rodriguez ..................................................................................................... 3404

Figari & Davenport, LLP ................................................................................................................ 3408

Fine, Kaplan and Black, R.P.C. .................................................................................................... 3411

Finkelstein Thompson LLP .............................................................................................................. 3414

Fishman Stewart Yamaguchi PLLC ............................................................................................. 3417

Fitzpatrick, Cella, Harper & Scinto .............................................................................................. 3420

Flangas McMillan Law Group ...................................................................................................... 3422

Flow Law Firm, PLLC ...................................................................................................................... 3425

Folger Levin..................................................................................................................................... 3427

Ford & Harrison LLP ........................................................................................................................ 3429

Forman Holt Eliades & Youngman LLC....................................................................................... 3432

Foster & East ................................................................................................................................... 3435

Foster Pepper PLLC ....................................................................................................................... 3437

Foster Swift Collins & Smith PC ..................................................................................................... 3441

Foulston Siefkin LLP ........................................................................................................................ 3443

Francis J. Slavin, P.C. ..................................................................................................................... 3446

Franczek Radelet P.C. .................................................................................................................. 3449

Fredrikson & Byron, P.A. ................................................................................................................ 3452

Freeborn & Peters LLP ................................................................................................................... 3465

Friedman Kaplan Seiler & Adelman LLP ..................................................................................... 3470

FTI Consulting Inc ........................................................................................................................... 3473

GableGotwals ................................................................................................................................ 3479

Galicia Abogados, S.C. ................................................................................................................ 3482

Gallagher & Kennedy, P.A. .......................................................................................................... 3485

Gallagher Kane Amai ................................................................................................................... 3491

Galloway, Johnson, Tompkins, Burr & Smith .............................................................................. 3494

Gammage & Burnham, LLC ........................................................................................................ 3497

Garan Lucow Miller P.C. ............................................................................................................... 3499

Garvey Schubert Barer ................................................................................................................. 3501

Gebhardt & Smith LLP ................................................................................................................... 3504

Genovese Joblove & Battista ...................................................................................................... 3506



16 | P a g e

Germani Martemucci & Hill ......................................................................................................... 3509

Gide Loyrette Nouel ...................................................................................................................... 3512

Gieger, Laborde, & Laperouse, L.L.C. ........................................................................................ 3517

Gilbert LLP ....................................................................................................................................... 3519

Gillespie, Rozen & Watsky ............................................................................................................ 3522

Gleiss Lutz ........................................................................................................................................ 3524

Glynn & Finley, LLP ......................................................................................................................... 3526

Godfrey & Kahn, S.C. .................................................................................................................... 3529

Goetz, Baldwin & Geddes P.C. ................................................................................................... 3540

Goldberg Kohn .............................................................................................................................. 3542

Goldberg Segalla, LLP .................................................................................................................. 3547

Goldman Antonetti & Cordova, LLC ......................................................................................... 3549

Golenbock Eiseman Assor Bell & Peskoe LLP ............................................................................ 3551

Gonzalez Calvillo, S.C. .................................................................................................................. 3560

Goodmans, LLP .............................................................................................................................. 3563

Gordon Silver .................................................................................................................................. 3569

Gowling WLG ................................................................................................................................. 3574

Graf & Pitkowitz Rechtsanwälte GmbH ..................................................................................... 3582

Grant Thornton LLP ........................................................................................................................ 3586

Graves Dougherty Hearon & Moody ......................................................................................... 3590

Gray Plant Mooty PA .................................................................................................................... 3593

Greenbaum Rowe Smith & Davis ............................................................................................... 3600

Greenebaum Doll & McDonald PLLC ........................................................................................ 3602

Greensfelder, Hemker & Gale, PC .............................................................................................. 3608

Greenspoon Marder LLP .............................................................................................................. 3618

Grier Furr & Crisp, PA ..................................................................................................................... 3621

Griffith & Masuda .......................................................................................................................... 3626

Groom Law Group, Chartered ................................................................................................... 3628

Guinn Law Group .......................................................................................................................... 3635

Gust Rosenfeld P.L.C. .................................................................................................................... 3637

Gustafson Gluek PLLC ................................................................................................................... 3642

Gutierrez Preciado & House LLP .................................................................................................. 3647

Hagan, Noll & Boyle, LLC .............................................................................................................. 3649

Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP ............................................................................................. 3651



17 | P a g e

Hahn & Hessen LLP ........................................................................................................................ 3656

Hahn Loeser & Parks LLP ............................................................................................................... 3661

Haim Zadok & Co. ......................................................................................................................... 3670

Hall & Evans, LLC ............................................................................................................................ 3674

Hall Estill Hardwick Gable Golden & Nelson PC ....................................................................... 3677

Hall, Hieatt & Connely, LLP ........................................................................................................... 3682

Halloran & Sage LLP ...................................................................................................................... 3685

Hamilton Stephens Steele & Martin, PLLC ................................................................................. 3688

Hamilton, Brook, Smith & Reynolds, P.C. .................................................................................... 3694

Hammonds LLP .............................................................................................................................. 3696

Han Kun Law Offices ..................................................................................................................... 3700

Hankin Sandman & Palladino ..................................................................................................... 3702

Hanson Bridgett LLP ....................................................................................................................... 3705

Harness, Dickey & Pierce, P.L.C. .................................................................................................. 3709

Harris Beach PLLC .......................................................................................................................... 3713

Harris Jernigan & Geno PLLC ....................................................................................................... 3718

Harter, Secrest & Emery LLP ......................................................................................................... 3720

Hausfeld LLP ................................................................................................................................... 3722

Heenan Blaikie LLP ........................................................................................................................ 3725

HelixIP LLP ........................................................................................................................................ 3729

Hengeler Mueller Partnerschaft & von Rechtsanwalte ........................................................... 3731

Herbert Smith Freehills ................................................................................................................... 3735

Herrick, Feinstein LLP ...................................................................................................................... 3738

Herron Ortiz, P.A. ............................................................................................................................ 3747

Herzog, Fox & Neeman ................................................................................................................ 3749

Heyl, Royster, Voelker & Allen, P.C. ............................................................................................ 3751

Higgs & Johnson ............................................................................................................................ 3756

Higgs, Fletcher & Mack LLP .......................................................................................................... 3763

Hills Legal Group, Ltd. ................................................................................................................... 3767

Hitchcock Evert LLP ....................................................................................................................... 3769

Hodge & Langley .......................................................................................................................... 3772

Hodgson Russ LLP ........................................................................................................................... 3774

Hogan, Sarzynski, Lynch, Dewind & Gregory, LLP .................................................................... 3783

Hohmann, Taube & Summers, L.L.P. ........................................................................................... 3785



18 | P a g e

Holme Roberts & Owen LLP ......................................................................................................... 3789

Holmes Weddle & Barcott............................................................................................................ 3793

Honeywell Law Firm PLLC ............................................................................................................. 3796

Hooper, Lundy & Bookman, P.C. ................................................................................................ 3798

Houthoff Buruma ........................................................................................................................... 3800

Hovey Williams LLP ......................................................................................................................... 3802

Howard & Howard Attorneys PLLC ............................................................................................. 3805

Howard Rice Nemerovski Canady Falk & Rabkin PC .............................................................. 3810

Howard, Reed, Del Hierro & Pedersen ....................................................................................... 3812

Hoyer & Associates ........................................................................................................................ 3814

Hozubin, Moberly, Lynch & Associates ...................................................................................... 3816

Hudson Cook LLP ........................................................................................................................... 3818

Hueston Hennigan LLP .................................................................................................................. 3821

Hughes Gorski Seedorf Odsen & Tervooren, LLC ...................................................................... 3824

Huron ............................................................................................................................................... 3827

Hurrell Cantrall LLP ......................................................................................................................... 3830

Hutchison & Steffen, LLC .............................................................................................................. 3832

Innovation Law Group, Ltd. ......................................................................................................... 3835

Ira S. Levy, Attorney at Law ......................................................................................................... 3837

Irwin Fritchie Urquhart & Moore LLC ........................................................................................... 3839

Ivey, McClellan, Gatton & Siegmund LLP .................................................................................. 3842

J&A Garrigues, S.L.P. ..................................................................................................................... 3849

J. Sagar Associates........................................................................................................................ 3852

Jackson DeMarco Tidus Peckenpaugh ..................................................................................... 3854

Jacobs & Burleigh LLP ................................................................................................................... 3859

Jade & Fountain PRC Lawyers Corporation ............................................................................. 3861

Jaffe & Asher LLP ........................................................................................................................... 3864

Jaffe Raitt Heuer & Weiss PC ....................................................................................................... 3866

James & Haugland ....................................................................................................................... 3874

James F. Kahn, P.C. ....................................................................................................................... 3876

James Hoyer, P.A. .......................................................................................................................... 3878

Janvier Law Firm, PLLC .................................................................................................................. 3881

Jenkins & Hogin LLP ....................................................................................................................... 3884

Jennings, Strouss & Salmon, P.L.C. .............................................................................................. 3886



19 | P a g e

Jennis & Bowen, P.L. ...................................................................................................................... 3890

Joel Aresty, P.A. ............................................................................................................................. 3892

John A. Banker Attorney at Law ................................................................................................. 3894

John C. Allen P.C. .......................................................................................................................... 3896

Johnson DeLuca Kurisky & Gould, P.C. ...................................................................................... 3898

Jones & Mayer ............................................................................................................................... 3900

Jones Waldo ................................................................................................................................... 3904

Jones Walker LLP............................................................................................................................ 3906

Jones, Bell, Abbott, Fleming & Fitzgerald L.L.P. ......................................................................... 3917

Jones, Skelton & Hochuli, P.L.C. .................................................................................................. 3920

Jorden Hiser & Joy, PLC ................................................................................................................ 3922

Jun He Law Offices ........................................................................................................................ 3924

Kaempfer Crowell ......................................................................................................................... 3926

Kam C. Louie, Attorney at Law ................................................................................................... 3929

Kane, Ballmer & Berkman............................................................................................................. 3931

Kasowitz, Benson, Torres & Friedman LLP ................................................................................... 3933

Kean Miller LLP................................................................................................................................ 3944

Keating Muething & Klekamp PLL............................................................................................... 3948

Keesal, Young & Logan ................................................................................................................ 3953

Keightley & Ashner LLP.................................................................................................................. 3957

Keker and Van Nest LLP ............................................................................................................... 3960

Keller Landsberg PA ...................................................................................................................... 3962

Keller Rohrback L.L.P. .................................................................................................................... 3965

Kelley, Kronenberg, Gilmartin, Fichtel, Wander, P.A. ............................................................... 3969

Kellogg, Huber, Hansen, Todd, Evans & Figel, PLLC ................................................................. 3971

Kelly Hart & Hallman LLP ............................................................................................................... 3974

Kendall Law Group, LLP ................................................................................................................ 3981

Kennedy & Graven ....................................................................................................................... 3984

Kennerly Lamishaw & Rossi, LLP ................................................................................................... 3987

Kenneth A. Winsberg, P.C. ........................................................................................................... 3989

Kenyon Disend ............................................................................................................................... 3991

Kerr, Russell and Weber, PLC ....................................................................................................... 3994

Kessel & Associates ....................................................................................................................... 4000

Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP ............................................................................................ 4002



20 | P a g e

Keziah Gates LLP ........................................................................................................................... 4008

King & Wood Mallesons ................................................................................................................ 4010

Kirton McConkie PC ...................................................................................................................... 4015

Kissinger & Fellman, P.C. ............................................................................................................... 4018

Kitch Drutchas ................................................................................................................................ 4021

Klee, Tuchin, Bogdanoff & Stern LLP ........................................................................................... 4024

Klevansky Piper, LLP ....................................................................................................................... 4031

Kohn Swift & Graf, P.C. ................................................................................................................. 4034

Kohner Mann & Kailas, S.C. .......................................................................................................... 4037

Kohut & Kohut LLP ......................................................................................................................... 4041

Kolesar & Leatham, Chartered ................................................................................................... 4044

KPMG LLP ........................................................................................................................................ 4048

Krigel & Krigel, P.C. ........................................................................................................................ 4052

Krohn & Moss .................................................................................................................................. 4055

Kronick Moskovitz Tiedemann & Girard ..................................................................................... 4057

Labaton Sucharow LLP ................................................................................................................. 4062

Lake & Cobb PLC .......................................................................................................................... 4064

Lan Smith Sosolik PLLC .................................................................................................................. 4067

Lane & Nach, P.C. ......................................................................................................................... 4069

Lang & Rahmann Rechtsanwalte .............................................................................................. 4072

Laplante Spinelli Donald & Nott .................................................................................................. 4074

Larkin Hoffman Daly & Lindgren Ltd. .......................................................................................... 4076

Larry Lockshin, Esq., A Law Corporation .................................................................................... 4080

Law Firm of Frank W. Miller ........................................................................................................... 4082

Law Office of Charles Anthony Shaw, PLLC.............................................................................. 4084

Law Office of Dewey P. Sloan, Jr. ............................................................................................... 4086

Law Office of John R. Putman ..................................................................................................... 4088

Law Office of Jon S. Musial .......................................................................................................... 4090

Law Office of Richard A. Abrams ............................................................................................... 4092

Law Office of Roy S. Gordet ........................................................................................................ 4094

Law Office of Steven B. Licata, P.C. ........................................................................................... 4096

Law Offices Bernard M. Gross, P.C. ............................................................................................ 4098

Law Offices of Alan R. Smith ........................................................................................................ 4100

Law Offices of Jeffrey S. Cappellini ............................................................................................ 4102



21 | P a g e

Law Offices of John R. Walton .................................................................................................... 4104

Law Offices of Michael W. Fattorosi, P.C. .................................................................................. 4107

Law Offices of Peter A. Jaffe, LLC .............................................................................................. 4109

Law Offices of Peter N. Greenfeld, P.C. .................................................................................... 4111

Law Offices of Thomas M. Mullaney ........................................................................................... 4113

Law, Lyman, Daniel, Kamerrer & Bogdanovich, P.S. ............................................................... 4115

Lawrence & Russell, PLC ............................................................................................................... 4117

Lawson Lundell LLP ........................................................................................................................ 4120

Lee & Braziel LLP ............................................................................................................................ 4123

Lemle & Kelleher LLP ..................................................................................................................... 4125

Lentz & Little.................................................................................................................................... 4128

Lerman Senter PLLC ...................................................................................................................... 4131

Lev Intellectual Property Consulting ........................................................................................... 4135

Lewis, Rice & Fingersh, L.C. .......................................................................................................... 4137

Lexcorp Abogados ....................................................................................................................... 4140

Lexington Law Group ................................................................................................................... 4144

Leydig, Voit & Mayer, Ltd. ............................................................................................................ 4147

Liebert Cassidy Whitmore ............................................................................................................. 4149

Lightfoot Franklin & White LLC ..................................................................................................... 4154

Lindner & Marsack, S.C. ................................................................................................................ 4156

Lindquist & Vennum, P.L.L.P. ........................................................................................................ 4158

Lionel Sawyer & Collins ................................................................................................................. 4167

Lippes Mathias Wexler Friedman LLP .......................................................................................... 4170

Lipson, Neilson, Cole, Seltzer & Garin, P.C. ................................................................................ 4172

Liskow & Lewis ................................................................................................................................ 4174

Lockridge Grindal Nauen ............................................................................................................. 4178

Lowndes, Drosdick, Doster, Kantor & Reed, P.A. ...................................................................... 4180

Loyens & Loeff ................................................................................................................................ 4183

Lozano Smith .................................................................................................................................. 4187

Lunny MacInnes Law Corporation ............................................................................................. 4190

Luther Rechtsanwaltsgesellschaft mbH ..................................................................................... 4192

Lutzker & Lutzker LLP ...................................................................................................................... 4194

Lyons Law PC ................................................................................................................................. 4196

MacDonald Hoague & Bayless ................................................................................................... 4198



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Mackie Wolf Zientz & Mann, P.C. ................................................................................................ 4201

MacPherson Leslie & Tyerman LLP .............................................................................................. 4204

Mancuso Law, P.A. ........................................................................................................................ 4207

Manley Deas Kochalski, LLC ........................................................................................................ 4209

Manning & Kass, Ellrod, Ramirez, Trester LLP .............................................................................. 4211

Mantese Honigman Rossman and Williamson, P.C. ................................................................ 4213

Maples and Calder ....................................................................................................................... 4215

Marcus Clegg ................................................................................................................................ 4220

Marquis Aurbach Coffing, P.C. ................................................................................................... 4223

Marsh Fischmann & Breyfogle LLP .............................................................................................. 4227

Marshall Dennehey Warner Coleman & Goggin, P.C. ........................................................... 4230

Maslon LLP ...................................................................................................................................... 4234

Mathis, Marifian & Richter, Ltd. .................................................................................................... 4238

Matt Juhl-Darlington and Associates ......................................................................................... 4241

Matthews, Stein, Shiels, Pearce, Knott, Eden & Davis .............................................................. 4243

Maupin, Cox & LeGoy .................................................................................................................. 4246

May, Potenza, Baran & Gillespie, P.C. ....................................................................................... 4248

Maynard Cooper & Gale PC ...................................................................................................... 4251

Maynard Cronin Erickson Curran & Reiter, P.L.C. ..................................................................... 4255

McAfee & Taft PC .......................................................................................................................... 4257

McCarthy Fingar LLP ..................................................................................................................... 4263

McCarthy Tetrault .......................................................................................................................... 4267

McCleskey Harriger Brazill & Graf, LLP ........................................................................................ 4274

McConnell Valdes LLC ................................................................................................................. 4279

McCormick, Kabot, Jenner & Lew .............................................................................................. 4283

McCraney Montagnet & Quin PLLC .......................................................................................... 4285

McCullough Khan, LLC ................................................................................................................. 4287

McDonald Carano Wilson LLP ..................................................................................................... 4289

McDonald Hopkins LLC ................................................................................................................ 4293

McDowell Knight Roedder & Sledge, LLC ................................................................................. 4304

McEvoy, Daniels & Darcy, P.C. .................................................................................................... 4306

McGavick Graves ......................................................................................................................... 4308

McGinn Intellectual Property Law Group, PLLC ....................................................................... 4310

McGinnis, Lochridge, & Kilgore L.L.P. ......................................................................................... 4312



23 | P a g e

McGlinchey Stafford PLLC ........................................................................................................... 4315

McGovern Law Office .................................................................................................................. 4321

McGrath North Mullin & Kratz, PC LLO ....................................................................................... 4323

McGuinn, Hillsman & Palefsky ..................................................................................................... 4328

McInnes Cooper ............................................................................................................................ 4330

McIntosh Schwartz, PL .................................................................................................................. 4332

McKamie Krueger LLP ................................................................................................................... 4334

McKool Smith, P.C. ........................................................................................................................ 4337

McLane, Graf, Raulerson, & Middleton, Professional Association ......................................... 4341

McMillan LLP ................................................................................................................................... 4344

McNair Law Firm, P.A. ................................................................................................................... 4348

McNees Wallace & Nurick LLC .................................................................................................... 4352

McWhorter Law Firm, PLLC ........................................................................................................... 4356

Meland Russin & Budwick, P.A. .................................................................................................... 4358

Merchant & Gould P.C. ................................................................................................................ 4361

Meredith & Keyhani, PLLC ............................................................................................................ 4364

Mesch, Clark & Rothschild P.C. ................................................................................................... 4366

Meyer, Suozzi, English & Klein, P.C. ............................................................................................. 4369

Meyers Nave Riback Silver & Wilson PLC ................................................................................... 4372

Michael W. Carmel, Ltd. ............................................................................................................... 4378

Michelman & Robinson, LLP ......................................................................................................... 4382

Milam Howard Nicandri Dees & Gillam P.A. ............................................................................. 4388

Miller & Owen ................................................................................................................................. 4391

Miller Chevalier .............................................................................................................................. 4393

Miller Nash Graham & Dunn LLP ................................................................................................. 4396

Miller Thomson LLP ......................................................................................................................... 4404

Miller, Johnson, Snell & Cummiskey, P.L.C. ................................................................................ 4410

Minden Gross LLP ........................................................................................................................... 4413

Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp LLP .................................................................................................. 4415

Mitchell Williams ............................................................................................................................. 4422

Montgomery McCracken Walker & Rhoads LLP ...................................................................... 4424

Montgomery Willard, LLC ............................................................................................................. 4432

Moon Wright & Houston, PLLC ..................................................................................................... 4434

Moray & Agnew ............................................................................................................................ 4444



24 | P a g e

Morency Societe d'Avocats, S.E.N.C.R.L. .................................................................................. 4446

Morrel Saffa Craige ....................................................................................................................... 4448

Morris Law Group ........................................................................................................................... 4451

Morris Polich & Purdy LLP .............................................................................................................. 4454

Morris Schneider Wittstadt, LLC ................................................................................................... 4458

Morris, Nichols, Arsht & Tunnell LLP .............................................................................................. 4461

Morrison Cohen LLP ....................................................................................................................... 4463

Moses & Singer LLP ........................................................................................................................ 4467

Motley Rice LLC ............................................................................................................................. 4474

Mourant Ozannes .......................................................................................................................... 4479

Moye White LLP .............................................................................................................................. 4483

Mozley, Finlayson & Loggins LLP .................................................................................................. 4488

Munsch Hardt Kopf & Harr, P.C. .................................................................................................. 4490

Murphy & King P.C. ....................................................................................................................... 4501

Murtha Cullina LLP ......................................................................................................................... 4505

Musick, Peeler & Garrett LLP ........................................................................................................ 4513

Myers Bigel Sibley & Sajovec, PA ................................................................................................ 4516

Nalley and Dew, APLC ................................................................................................................. 4518

Navigant Consulting Inc ............................................................................................................... 4521

Neal, Gerber & Eisenberg LLP ...................................................................................................... 4522

Neblett, Beard & Arsenault .......................................................................................................... 4528

Newport Trial Group APC ............................................................................................................. 4530

Nexsen Pruet .................................................................................................................................. 4533

Nicholas Ranallo, Attorney at Law ............................................................................................. 4539

Niro, Haller & Niro, Ltd. .................................................................................................................. 4541

Nixon & Vanderhye P.C................................................................................................................ 4543

Northen Blue LLC ........................................................................................................................... 4545

Nossaman LLP ................................................................................................................................ 4551

Novack and Macey LLP ............................................................................................................... 4559

Novak Druce Connolly Bove & Quigg LLP ................................................................................. 4561

Nykamp Law Office PLLC ............................................................................................................ 4564

Ober, Kaler, Grimes & Shriver, PC ............................................................................................... 4566

Obermayer Rebmann Maxwell & Hippel LLP............................................................................ 4568

O'Kelly Ernst & Bielli ........................................................................................................................ 4574



25 | P a g e

Oles Morrison Rinker & Baker LLP ................................................................................................. 4578

Olivarez Madruga, LLP .................................................................................................................. 4581

Orbach, Huff & Suarez LLP ........................................................................................................... 4583

Orloff, Lowenbach, Stifelman & Siegel, P.A. ............................................................................. 4586

Orr & Reno, P.A. ............................................................................................................................. 4588

Osborn Maledon, P.A. .................................................................................................................. 4593

Oscos Abogados ........................................................................................................................... 4597

Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP ........................................................................................................ 4599

Otterbourg P.C. ............................................................................................................................. 4606

Pachulski Stang Ziehl & Jones LLP ............................................................................................... 4610

Page, Scrantom, Sprouse, Tucker & Ford, P.C. ......................................................................... 4621

Parker & Covert LLP ....................................................................................................................... 4626

Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP ............................................................................................. 4629

Parr Brown Gee & Loveless, P.C. ................................................................................................. 4635

Parsonage Vandenack Williams LLC ......................................................................................... 4638

Parsons Behle & Latimer ............................................................................................................... 4640

Peckar & Abramson, P.C.............................................................................................................. 4644

Peixoto and Cury ........................................................................................................................... 4647

Perkins Thompson, P.A. ................................................................................................................. 4650

Personius Melber LLP ..................................................................................................................... 4653

Pessin Katz Law, P.A. ..................................................................................................................... 4656

Phillips Lytle LLP ............................................................................................................................... 4658

Phillips Nizer LLP .............................................................................................................................. 4662

Phillips, Erlewine, Given & Carlin LLP ........................................................................................... 4667

Pia Anderson Dorius Reynard & Moss, LLC ................................................................................ 4670

Pierce Atwood LLP ........................................................................................................................ 4675

Piet & Wright ................................................................................................................................... 4679

Pietrantoni Mendez & Alvarez LLC ............................................................................................. 4681

Pirkey Barber PLLC ......................................................................................................................... 4683

Plave Koch ..................................................................................................................................... 4686

Plunkett Cooney PC ...................................................................................................................... 4688

Pollak & Hicks, P.C. ........................................................................................................................ 4690

Polster, Lieder, Woodruff & Lucchesi, L.C. ................................................................................. 4695

Poole & Shaffery, LLP..................................................................................................................... 4697



26 | P a g e

Porzio, Bromberg, and Newman P.C. ........................................................................................ 4699

Post & Schell PC ............................................................................................................................. 4704

Poyner Spruill LLP ............................................................................................................................ 4708

Preti, Flaherty, Beliveau & Pachios, Chartered, LLP ................................................................. 4714

PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP ...................................................................................................... 4722

Pryor Cashman LLP ........................................................................................................................ 4724

Pullman & Comley LLC ................................................................................................................. 4727

Putney, Twombly, Hall & Hirson LLP ............................................................................................. 4731

Quilling, Selander, Lownds, Winslett & Moser, P.C. .................................................................. 4734

Quintairos, Prieto, Wood & Boyer, P.A. ....................................................................................... 4736

Ragsdale Liggett, PLLC ................................................................................................................. 4738

Randazza Legal Group ................................................................................................................ 4742

Ray Quinney & Nebeker P.C. ...................................................................................................... 4745

Rayburn Cooper & Durham, P.A. ................................................................................................ 4750

RCO Legal, P.S. .............................................................................................................................. 4756

Reddig Law Firm ............................................................................................................................ 4758

Reddock Law Group .................................................................................................................... 4760

Reid and Riege, P.C. ..................................................................................................................... 4762

Reid, Pedersen, McCarthy & Ballew, L.L.P ................................................................................. 4767

Reily & Jeffery, Inc. ........................................................................................................................ 4770

Remcho Johansen & Purcell LLP ................................................................................................. 4772

Remenick PLLC .............................................................................................................................. 4774

Reminger Co. LPA ......................................................................................................................... 4777

Remy Moose Manley, LLP ............................................................................................................ 4779

Renne Sloan Holtzman Sakai LLP ................................................................................................ 4781

Reynolds & Reynolds, PLLC .......................................................................................................... 4783

Rhoades McKee PC ...................................................................................................................... 4786

Richards, Layton & Finger, P.A..................................................................................................... 4790

Richards, Watson & Gershon, P.C. .............................................................................................. 4804

Richardson & Patel, LLP ................................................................................................................ 4806

Richardson & Richardson, P.C. .................................................................................................... 4808

Riemer & Braunstein LLP ............................................................................................................... 4810

Riker Danzig Scherer Hyland & Perretti LLP ................................................................................ 4815

Rivkin Radler ................................................................................................................................... 4818



27 | P a g e

Robbins, Russell, Englert, Orseck, Untereiner & Sauber ........................................................... 4820

Robert E. Belshaw .......................................................................................................................... 4823

Robinson Bradshaw & Hinson, P.A. ............................................................................................. 4825

Rocke McLean Sbar ...................................................................................................................... 4835

RodaNast, P.C. ............................................................................................................................... 4837

Roetzel & Andress LPA .................................................................................................................. 4840

Rohde & Van Kampen ................................................................................................................. 4843

Rolim, Viotti & Leite Campos Advogados ................................................................................. 4845

Ropers, Majeski, Kohn & Bentley PC ........................................................................................... 4847

Rosen Bien Galvan & Grunfeld LLP ............................................................................................. 4851

Rosenberg Martin Greenberg, LLP ............................................................................................. 4853

Roshka DeWulf & Patten, P.L.C. .................................................................................................. 4857

Rosicki, Rosicki & Associates P.C. ................................................................................................ 4859

Ross Law Group ............................................................................................................................. 4861

Rothwell, Figg, Ernst & Manbeck, P.C. ....................................................................................... 4863

Rubio Villegas & Asociados Abogados, Inc. ............................................................................. 4867

Ruden McCloskly ........................................................................................................................... 4870

Rudy, Exelrod, Zieff & Lowe, LLP .................................................................................................. 4874

Ryan Rapp & Underwood, P.L.C. ................................................................................................ 4876

Ryder, Lu, Mazzeo & Konieczny, LLC .......................................................................................... 4879

Ryley Carlock & Applewhite, PC ................................................................................................ 4881

Rywant, Alvarez, Jones, Russo & Guyton P.A. ........................................................................... 4884

Sacks, Ricketts & Case LLP ........................................................................................................... 4887

Saliwanchik, Lloyd & Eisenschenk ............................................................................................... 4890

Salter McGowan Sylvia & Leonard, Inc. .................................................................................... 4892

Saltz Matkov PC ............................................................................................................................. 4894

Saltz Mongeluzzi Barrett & Bendesky PC .................................................................................... 4896

Samwel, Cousineau & Shea ........................................................................................................ 4899

Sanchez DeVanny Eseverri, S.C. ................................................................................................. 4901

Sanchez-Medina, Gonzalez, Quesada, Lage, Crespo, Gomez & Machado LLP ............... 4905

Sanders, O’Hanlon, & Motley, PLLC ........................................................................................... 4907

Sands Anderson PC ....................................................................................................................... 4910

Santamarina y Steta, S.C. ............................................................................................................ 4912

Santos-Elizondo-Cantu-Rivera-Gonzalez-de la Garza-Mendoza, S.C. ................................. 4916



28 | P a g e

Sasse & Partner Rechtsanwalte................................................................................................... 4918

Savitt, Bruce & Willey ..................................................................................................................... 4920

Schachter Harris, LLP ..................................................................................................................... 4922

Scheef & Stone, L.L.P. ................................................................................................................... 4924

Schellenberg Wittmer ................................................................................................................... 4931

Schiltz & Schiltz ............................................................................................................................... 4934

Schnader Harrison Segal & Lewis LLP ......................................................................................... 4937

Schoeman Updike Kaufman Stern & Ascher LLP ..................................................................... 4947

Schoenherr Rechtsanwaelte ....................................................................................................... 4949

School and College Legal Services of California ..................................................................... 4952

Schroder, Joseph & Associates, LLP ........................................................................................... 4954

Schroeter, Goldmark & Bender ................................................................................................... 4957

Schuckit & Associates PC ............................................................................................................. 4959

Schultze & Braun ............................................................................................................................ 4961

Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt, PC ............................................................................................. 4966

Seltzer Caplan McMahon Vitek, Law Corporation .................................................................. 4973

Semmes, Bowen & Semmes ........................................................................................................ 4976

SettlePou ......................................................................................................................................... 4978

Severson & Werson ........................................................................................................................ 4980

Shanghai United Law Firm ............................................................................................................ 4982

Sheehan Phinney Bass & Green PA ............................................................................................ 4984

Sher Corwin Winters LLC ............................................................................................................... 4990

Sher Tremonte LLP ......................................................................................................................... 4992

Shipman & Goodwin LLP .............................................................................................................. 4995

Shulman Hodges & Bastian LLP ................................................................................................... 4998

Shulman Rogers Gandal Pordy & Ecker, P.A. ........................................................................... 5002

Silicon Valley Law Group .............................................................................................................. 5005

Sills Cummis & Gross P.C. .............................................................................................................. 5007

Simbro & Stanley, PLC ................................................................................................................... 5011

Simcox and Barclay LLP ................................................................................................................ 5014

Sinsheimer Juhnke McIvor & Stroh, LLP ...................................................................................... 5016

Sirote & Permutt, PC ...................................................................................................................... 5019

Skrupa Law Office, LLC ................................................................................................................. 5021

Smith & Lowney ............................................................................................................................. 5023



29 | P a g e

Smith Haughey Rice & Roegge................................................................................................... 5025

Smith, Anderson, Blount, Dorsett, Mitchell, & Jernigan LLP ..................................................... 5028

Smith, Gardner, Slusky, Lazer, Pohren & Rogers, LLP ................................................................ 5033

Snyder Law, LLP .............................................................................................................................. 5035

Solomon Harris ................................................................................................................................ 5038

Solomon Ward Seidenwurm & Smith, LLP .................................................................................. 5041

Spangenberg Shibley & Liber LLP ............................................................................................... 5044

Spencer Fane Britt & Browne LLP ................................................................................................ 5046

Spotts Fain PC ................................................................................................................................ 5050

Sprunger Law PLLC ........................................................................................................................ 5053

Stanger & Arnold LLP .................................................................................................................... 5055

Stein & Lubin LLP ............................................................................................................................ 5057

Steinmetz, Haring, Gurman & Co................................................................................................ 5059

Steptoe & Johnson PLLC .............................................................................................................. 5063

Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox P.L.L.C. ..................................................................................... 5069

Stevens & Lee ................................................................................................................................. 5072

Stewart McKelvey .......................................................................................................................... 5079

Stichter, Riedel, Blain & Postler, P.A. ........................................................................................... 5082

Stikeman Elliott LLP......................................................................................................................... 5084

Stites & Harbison LLP ...................................................................................................................... 5092

Stoll Keenon Ogden PLLC ............................................................................................................ 5097

Stone Busailah, LLP ........................................................................................................................ 5104

Storch Amini PC ............................................................................................................................. 5106

Stovash, Case & Tingley, P.A. ...................................................................................................... 5108

Stradley Ronon Stevens & Young LLP ......................................................................................... 5111

Stradling Yocca Carlson & Rauth, P.C. ...................................................................................... 5114

Strauss & Troy LPA .......................................................................................................................... 5120

Stuart Kane LLP .............................................................................................................................. 5123

Sugarman & Cannon .................................................................................................................... 5126

Sughrue Mion, PLLC ....................................................................................................................... 5128

Sulloway & Hollis, P.L.L.C. .............................................................................................................. 5131

Summit Law Group ........................................................................................................................ 5133

Susman Godfrey LLP ..................................................................................................................... 5136

Swanson, Martin & Bell LLP ........................................................................................................... 5139



30 | P a g e

Sweeney & Sheehan .................................................................................................................... 5141

Swift, Currie, McGhee & Heirs, LLP .............................................................................................. 5143

T. Theodore Cruz ............................................................................................................................ 5146

Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP .......................................................................................................... 5148

Tannenbaum Helpern Syracuse & Hirschtritt LLP ...................................................................... 5162

Tanner De Witt................................................................................................................................ 5166

Tarpey Wix LLC ............................................................................................................................... 5168

Taylor Porter Brooks & Phillips LLP................................................................................................. 5170

Taylor Wessing LLP ......................................................................................................................... 5173

Terry A. Dake, Ltd. .......................................................................................................................... 5175

Terry E. Dixon .................................................................................................................................. 5177

The Affinity Law Group APC......................................................................................................... 5179

The Aguilera Law Group............................................................................................................... 5182

The Arns Law Firm .......................................................................................................................... 5185

The Bourassa Law Group, LLC ..................................................................................................... 5187

The Carlson Law Office, PLLC ...................................................................................................... 5189

The Cavanagh Law Firm, P.A. ..................................................................................................... 5191

The Firm, P.C. .................................................................................................................................. 5196

The Frutkin Law Firm, PLC .............................................................................................................. 5198

The Hassett Law Firm ..................................................................................................................... 5201

The Hudgins Law Firm .................................................................................................................... 5204

The Hustead Law Firm ................................................................................................................... 5206

The Law Office of Gerald A. Jeutter, Jr., P.A............................................................................. 5209

The Majesty Law Group ................................................................................................................ 5211

The Muzilla Law Firm, LLC ............................................................................................................. 5214

The Paynter Law Firm, PLLC.......................................................................................................... 5216

The Richard L. Rosen Law Firm, PLLC .......................................................................................... 5219

The Sohagi Law Group, PLC ........................................................................................................ 5223

The Wolf Law Firm, P.C. ................................................................................................................. 5225

Thierhoff Muller & Partner ............................................................................................................. 5227

Thomas, Thomas, & Hafer, LLP ..................................................................................................... 5229

Thompson Krone, P.L.C. ................................................................................................................ 5232

Thompson Ostler & Olsen ............................................................................................................. 5237

Thompson, Coe, Cousins & Irons, L.L.P. ...................................................................................... 5240



31 | P a g e

Thomson Geer ................................................................................................................................ 5242

Thorp Reed & Armstrong, LLP ...................................................................................................... 5244

Togut, Segal & Segal LLP .............................................................................................................. 5246

Tompkins, McGuire, Wachenfeld & Barry LLP ........................................................................... 5249

Tonkon Torp LLP .............................................................................................................................. 5252

Torys, LLP ......................................................................................................................................... 5257

Trenam Kemker .............................................................................................................................. 5267

Trench, Rossi and Wantanabe Advogados .............................................................................. 5271

Tucker Arensberg, P.C. ................................................................................................................. 5273

Tucker Ellis LLP ................................................................................................................................. 5276

Tycko & Zavareei LLP .................................................................................................................... 5281

Tydings & Rosenberg LLP .............................................................................................................. 5283

Tyson & Mendes, L.L.P. .................................................................................................................. 5286

Ulmer & Berne LLP .......................................................................................................................... 5288

Updike Kelly & Spellacy PC .......................................................................................................... 5292

Vandeventer Black LLP ................................................................................................................. 5296

Varnum LLP ..................................................................................................................................... 5298

Verrill Dana LLP............................................................................................................................... 5306

Vickers, Riis, Murray and Curran, L.L.C. ...................................................................................... 5312

Volpe and Koening, P.C. .............................................................................................................. 5315

Walder Wyss & Partners ................................................................................................................ 5318

Walker & Doepfner, P.C. .............................................................................................................. 5321

Walkers ............................................................................................................................................ 5323

Waller Lansden Dortch & Davis LLP ............................................................................................ 5328

Walsworth - WFBM, LLP ................................................................................................................. 5340

Walter & Haverfield LLP ................................................................................................................ 5342

Ward and Smith, P.A. .................................................................................................................... 5344

Waring Cox ..................................................................................................................................... 5347

Warner Norcross & Judd LLP ........................................................................................................ 5349

Waterson Legal .............................................................................................................................. 5356

Watson Rounds, PC ....................................................................................................................... 5358

Weiner Brodsky Sidman Kider PC ................................................................................................ 5360

Weinstein Radcliff Pipkin LLP ........................................................................................................ 5363

Weintraub Tobin Chediak Coleman Grodin Law Corporation .............................................. 5367



32 | P a g e

Weintraub, Stock & Grisham, P.C. .............................................................................................. 5369

Wheeler Trigg O'Donnell LLP ........................................................................................................ 5371

White and Williams LLP.................................................................................................................. 5375

Whiteford, Taylor & Preston L.L.P. ................................................................................................ 5378

Whitfield & Eddy, P.L.C. ................................................................................................................ 5384

Wiand Guerra King P.A. ................................................................................................................ 5387

Wickwire Holm ................................................................................................................................ 5391

Wiggin and Dana LLP ................................................................................................................... 5394

Wildgen Partners ............................................................................................................................ 5397

Wilentz Goldman & Spitzer PA ..................................................................................................... 5400

Wiley Price & Radulovich, LLP ...................................................................................................... 5402

Willi Law Firm P.C. .......................................................................................................................... 5404

William L. Needler & Associates, Ltd. .......................................................................................... 5406

William P. Wessler ........................................................................................................................... 5408

Williams Kastner.............................................................................................................................. 5410

Williams, Venker & Sanders, L.L.C. .............................................................................................. 5416

Williamson & Williams .................................................................................................................... 5419

Winthrop & Weinstine, P.A. ........................................................................................................... 5421

Withers Bergman LLP ..................................................................................................................... 5425

Wolf, Greenfield & Sacks, P.C. ..................................................................................................... 5428

Wolfe & Wyman, LLP ..................................................................................................................... 5430

Wolfe, Snowden, Hurd, Luers & Ahl, LLP ..................................................................................... 5433

Wollmuth Maher & Deutsch LLP .................................................................................................. 5435

Woodruff, Spradlin & Smart .......................................................................................................... 5438

Wright, Finlay & Zak, LLP ............................................................................................................... 5440

Wyatt Tarrant & Combs LLP ......................................................................................................... 5442

Wyrick Robbins Yates & Ponton LLP ............................................................................................ 5447

Yaeger & Jungbauer Barristers, PLC ........................................................................................... 5452

Young Basile Hanlon & MacFarlane P.C. .................................................................................. 5455

Young Conaway Stargatt & Taylor LLP ...................................................................................... 5457

YoungWilliams ................................................................................................................................ 5475

Zalinger Cameron & Lambek, P.C. ............................................................................................. 5478

Zappia Law Firm ............................................................................................................................. 5480

Zhong Lun Law Firm ....................................................................................................................... 5482



33 | P a g e

Zies Widerman & Malek ................................................................................................................ 5484

Zimmerman Reed, PLLP ................................................................................................................ 5486

Zuckerman Spaeder LLP ............................................................................................................... 5489

Section-4: Magic Circle Firms .......................................................................................................... 5494

Allen & Overy LLP ........................................................................................................................... 5494

Clifford Chance LLP ...................................................................................................................... 5501

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer .................................................................................................... 5505

Linklaters .......................................................................................................................................... 5511

Slaughter and May........................................................................................................................ 5519

Section-5: Dentons ............................................................................................................................ 5522



34 | P a g e

Executive Summary

The Valeo 2018 Attorney Hourly Rate Report is the most in-depth look at Attorney hourly rates for large,

middle-market and small Law Firms globally. The Report details the hourly rates of Partners, Counsel,

Associates and Support Staff for 2012 - 2016 and Forecasts 2018 Rates. The Report has 4 main Sections:

1) Rates by Firm Annual Revenue Groups 2) Rates by Individual Law Firms (Overall, by Practice Areas)

with Associate Class Year rates and 3) Magic Circle Firm Rates and 4) Dentons (separately since it

opted out of the revenue group surveys).

A word on Valeo’s research and compilation methodology. Valeo has a Research Team that identifies

hourly rates that are publicly disclosed. About 2,000 hourly rates per week of Attorneys and Support

Staff for over 1,200 Law Firms globally are added to the database. Further research is required to

“connect the dots” by adding detailed Attorney Profile information and linking the legal work

performed to specific Clients and Client Industries. Through this process we are able to provide

actionable data to users – Law Firms and Corporate Counsel - of the Valeo Attorney Hourly Rates and

our Analytical Reports, including this one, to make important monetary decisions in terms of legal

services offered and purchased. In terms of the Report, not all timekeepers will appear in every year

so sometimes average rates may vary; in this case the trend line and averages over the 2012 – 2017

period are the best indicators. In the event that Valeo has no rates for a given field (Year or Position),

an algorithm is used to estimate a rate or rates. Upon the request from Clients to complete the Rate

Cards for most large Law Firms, we estimated some rates for various Associate Class Years and other

Positions, these are marked with “E” for estimate. Valeo considers Senior Partners to be ones with 25+

years of experiencing (Law School Graduation Year of 1989 or sooner), Partners with 24 years or less

experience and Senior Associates with 5 years or more experience. Of course, those experience levels

may vary by Firm but seem to work for both Large Law Firms and Middle-Market ones.

Valeo takes no responsibility for the information obtained from public or private sources in compiling

this Report or for the errors and omissions of its Research staff. This Report is for internal purposes only.

Any other use by the purchaser of this Report, for example use in any Court or Mediation or in the

Media, is prohibited except with the prior written consent of Valeo Partners. All comments, feedback

and questions are welcomed and should be directed to Chuck Chandler, Partner of the Legal

Consulting Practice Group of Valeo Partners, at [email protected].



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ERISA

Practice Area 2012 2103

% 2014

% 2015

% 2016

% 2017

% 2018e

% Rate Rate Rate Rate Rate Rate Rate

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP

Senior Partner $ 1,149 $ 1,178 3% $ 1,211 3% $ 1,242 3% $ 1,275 3% $ 1,311 3% $ 1,347 3%

Partner(E) $ 1,031 $ 1,053 2% $ 1,095 4% $ 1,122 2% $ 1,169 4% $ 1,202 3% $ 1,233 3%

Counsel $ 895 $ 923 3% $ 978 6% $ 995 2% $ 1,040 5% $ 1,070 3% $ 1,094 2%

Senior Associate $ 634 $ 666 5% $ 719 8% $ 783 9% $ 841 7% $ 923 10% $ 1,005 9%

8th Year Associate(E) $ 497 $ 545 10% $ 596 9% $ 641 8% $ 683 6% $ 756 11% $ 805 7%





3rd Year Associate(E) $ 254 $ 281 11% $ 296 5% $ 327 11% $ 351 7% $ 399 14% $ 434 9%

2nd Year Associate(E) $ 237 $ 242 2% $ 269 11% $ 286 6% $ 313 9% $ 347 11% $ 378 9%

1st Year Associate(E) $ 188 $ 210 12% $ 236 12% $ 266 12% $ 281 6% $ 319 13% $ 337 5%

Overall $526 $557 6% $593 7% $629 6% $665 6% $711 7% $751 6%

Energy


% 2014

% 2015

% 2016

% 2017

% 2018e


Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP

Senior Partner(E) $ 1,150 $ 1,197 4% $ 1,256 5% $ 1,322 5% $ 1,364 3% $ 1,399 3% $ 1,443 3%

Partner $ 1,044 $ 1,069 2% $ 1,108 4% $ 1,147 4% $ 1,200 5% $ 1,249 4% $ 1,277 2%

Counsel $ 814 $ 832 2% $ 871 5% $ 904 4% $ 938 4% $ 974 4% $ 994 2%

Senior Associate $ 560 $ 599 7% $ 648 8% $ 694 7% $ 785 13% $ 853 9% $ 920 8%




5th Year Associate $ 309 $ 321 4% $ 353 10% $ 401 13% $ 448 12% $ 509 14% $ 555 9%


3rd Year Associate $ 253 $ 266 5% $ 283 6% $ 321 13% $ 354 11% $ 398 12% $ 430 8%



Overall $500 $519 4% $557 7% $602 8% $653 8% $704 8% $746 6%



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Corporate Transactions and Securities


% 2014

% 2015

% 2016

% 2017

% 2018e


DLA Piper

Senior Partner $ 816 $ 881 8% $ 901 2% $ 946 5% $ 1,006 6% $ 1,024 2% $ 1,065 4%

Partner $ 756 $ 794 5% $ 812 2% $ 853 5% $ 890 4% $ 923 4% $ 960 4%

Counsel $ 583 $ 612 5% $ 630 3% $ 647 3% $ 660 2% $ 675 2% $ 699 4%








2nd Year Associate $ 171 $ 179 5% $ 192 7% $ 228 19% $ 245 8% $ 259 6% $ 283 9%


Overall $373 $397 6% $418 5% $456 9% $484 6% $509 5% $542 7%

ERISA


% 2014

% 2015

% 2016

% 2017

% 2018e


DLA Piper

Senior Partner $ 823 $ 843 2% $ 864 2% $ 900 4% $ 945 5% $ 966 2% $ 1,009 4%

Partner(E) $ 717 $ 755 5% $ 786 4% $ 817 4% $ 842 3% $ 879 4% $ 908 3%

Counsel(E) $ 641 $ 656 2% $ 686 5% $ 704 3% $ 740 5% $ 765 3% $ 790 3%

Senior Associate(E) $ 467 $ 526 13% $ 567 8% $ 603 6% $ 666 10% $ 696 4% $ 765 10%









Overall $389 $414 7% $440 6% $466 6% $502 8% $529 5% $562 6%



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eMatters


% 2014

% 2015

% 2016

% 2017

% 2018e


Jones Day

Senior Partner $ 739 $ 774 5% $ 811 5% $ 834 3% $ 875 5% $ 896 2% $ 933 4%

Partner $ 598 $ 614 3% $ 644 5% $ 671 4% $ 688 2% $ 703 2% $ 733 4%

Counsel(E) $ 555 $ 569 3% $ 587 3% $ 599 2% $ 613 2% $ 636 4% $ 670 5%










Overall $349 $367 5% $390 6% $415 6% $439 6% $463 6% $499 8%

ERISA


% 2014

% 2015

% 2016

% 2017

% 2018e


Jones Day

Senior Partner $ 772 $ 804 4% $ 847 5% $ 874 3% $ 900 3% $ 944 5% $ 983 4%

Partner $ 674 $ 700 4% $ 725 4% $ 761 5% $ 775 2% $ 797 3% $ 831 4%

Counsel $ 484 $ 500 3% $ 510 2% $ 528 3% $ 550 4% $ 561 2% $ 589 5%










Overall $423 $448 6% $480 7% $513 7% $546 6% $584 7% $621 6%



221 | P a g e

ERISA


% 2014

% 2015

% 2016

% 2017

% 2018e


Sidley Austin LLP

Senior Partner $ 775 $ 802 3% $ 828 3% $ 844 2% $ 880 4% $ 899 2% $ 931 4%

Partner(E) $ 682 $ 722 6% $ 761 5% $ 799 5% $ 826 3% $ 865 5% $ 906 5%

Counsel(E) $ 627 $ 657 5% $ 670 2% $ 701 5% $ 732 4% $ 741 1% $ 759 2%










Overall $362 $379 5% $399 5% $426 7% $456 7% $478 5% $519 8%

Energy


% 2014

% 2015

% 2016

% 2017

% 2018e


Sidley Austin LLP

Senior Partner $ 979 $ 1,016 4% $ 1,050 3% $ 1,100 5% $ 1,137 3% $ 1,161 2% $ 1,188 2%

Partner $ 736 $ 764 4% $ 786 3% $ 803 2% $ 827 3% $ 850 3% $ 876 3%

Counsel $ 531 $ 548 3% $ 577 5% $ 592 3% $ 619 4% $ 638 3% $ 656 3%










Overall $387 $409 6% $433 6% $458 6% $492 7% $529 7% $560 6%



267 | P a g e

ERISA


% 2014

% 2015

% 2016

% 2017

% 2018e


Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP

Senior Partner $ 659 $ 683 4% $ 712 4% $ 730 3% $ 755 3% $ 783 4% $ 813 4%

Partner(E) $ 577 $ 605 5% $ 633 5% $ 660 4% $ 693 5% $ 712 3% $ 743 4%

Counsel(E) $ 513 $ 539 5% $ 560 4% $ 583 4% $ 608 4% $ 634 4% $ 661 4%










Overall $260 $275 6% $291 6% $309 6% $329 6% $346 5% $366 6%

Environmental


% 2014

% 2015

% 2016

% 2017

% 2018e


Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP

Senior Partner $ 858 $ 891 4% $ 958 7% $ 990 3% $ 1,035 4% $ 1,064 3% $ 1,053 -1%

Partner $ 787 $ 818 4% $ 863 6% $ 909 5% $ 924 2% $ 976 6% $ 966 -1%

Counsel $ 729 $ 750 3% $ 785 5% $ 811 3% $ 832 3% $ 864 4% $ 886 3%










Overall $409 $432 6% $470 9% $501 7% $531 6% $562 6% $587 4%



288 | P a g e

ERISA


% 2014

% 2015

% 2016

% 2017

% 2018e


Norton Rose Fulbright LLP

Senior Partner $ 787 $ 820 4% $ 853 4% $ 881 3% $ 906 3% $ 927 2% $ 972 5%

Partner(E) $ 748 $ 766 2% $ 782 2% $ 810 4% $ 825 2% $ 853 3% $ 884 4%

Counsel(E) $ 621 $ 639 3% $ 666 4% $ 685 3% $ 717 5% $ 751 5% $ 796 6%










Overall $326 $345 6% $365 6% $385 5% $407 6% $432 6% $461 7%

Energy


% 2014

% 2015

% 2016

% 2017

% 2018e


Norton Rose Fulbright LLP

Senior Partner $ 714 $ 773 8% $ 790 2% $ 817 3% $ 842 3% $ 893 6% $ 903 1%

Partner(E) $ 655 $ 690 5% $ 712 3% $ 736 3% $ 773 5% $ 804 4% $ 836 4%

Counsel $ 596 $ 607 2% $ 627 3% $ 641 2% $ 688 7% $ 700 2% $ 769 10%










Overall $350 $374 7% $396 6% $425 7% $453 7% $483 7% $521 8%



330 | P a g e



% 2014

% 2015

% 2016

% 2017

% 2018e


Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP

Senior Partner $ 994 $ 1,014 2% $ 1,060 5% $ 1,125 6% $ 1,165 4% $ 1,188 2% $ 1,224 3%

Partner $ 883 $ 914 4% $ 958 5% $ 986 3% $ 1,028 4% $ 1,073 4% $ 1,115 4%

Counsel $ 729 $ 752 3% $ 778 3% $ 811 4% $ 830 2% $ 847 2% $ 868 2%








2nd Year Associate(E) $ 256 $ 258 1% $ 288 11% $ 335 17% $ 331 -1% $ 354 7% $ 385 9%


Overall $493 $510 4% $548 7% $592 8% $622 5% $652 5% $694 6%

ERISA


% 2014

% 2015

% 2016

% 2017

% 2018e


Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP

Senior Partner $ 786 $ 824 5% $ 842 2% $ 864 3% $ 904 5% $ 934 3% $ 957 2%

Partner(E) $ 709 $ 742 5% $ 750 1% $ 761 1% $ 787 3% $ 813 3% $ 848 4%

Counsel(E) $ 613 $ 642 5% $ 663 3% $ 684 3% $ 716 5% $ 739 3% $ 775 5%










Overall $396 $423 7% $451 7% $478 6% $512 7% $544 6% $577 6%



358 | P a g e

ERISA


% 2014

% 2015

% 2016

% 2017

% 2018e


Ropes & Gray LLP

Senior Partner $ 1,103 $ 1,155 5% $ 1,185 3% $ 1,210 2% $ 1,222 1% $ 1,280 5% $ 1,331 4%

Partner(E) $ 952 $ 973 2% $ 1,011 4% $ 1,041 3% $ 1,084 4% $ 1,113 3% $ 1,161 4%

Counsel(E) $ 828 $ 857 4% $ 907 6% $ 952 5% $ 979 3% $ 1,024 5% $ 1,078 5%










Overall $532 $566 6% $600 6% $631 5% $668 6% $707 6% $749 6%

Equities


% 2014

% 2015

% 2016

% 2017

% 2018e


Ropes & Gray LLP

Senior Partner $ 964 $ 1,015 5% $ 1,056 4% $ 1,099 4% $ 1,147 4% $ 1,199 4% $ 1,250 4%

Partner $ 899 $ 921 2% $ 952 3% $ 981 3% $ 1,003 2% $ 1,029 3% $ 1,057 3%

Counsel $ 660 $ 685 4% $ 704 3% $ 724 3% $ 740 2% $ 775 5% $ 800 3%










Overall $419 $443 6% $469 6% $498 6% $528 6% $565 7% $597 6%



461 | P a g e



% 2014

% 2015

% 2016

% 2017

% 2018e


Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP

Senior Partner $ 1,078 $ 1,123 4% $ 1,150 2% $ 1,189 3% $ 1,244 5% $ 1,305 5% $ 1,352 4%

Partner $ 863 $ 887 3% $ 910 3% $ 938 3% $ 993 6% $ 1,036 4% $ 1,058 2%

Counsel $ 859 $ 898 5% $ 926 3% $ 946 2% $ 980 4% $ 1,024 4% $ 1,064 4%









1st Year Associate(E) $ 228 $ 249 10% $ 299 20% $ 294 -1% $ 320 9% $ 352 10% $ 404 15%

Overall $515 $551 7% $589 7% $621 5% $671 8% $706 5% $762 8%

ERISA


% 2014

% 2015

% 2016

% 2017

% 2018e


Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP

Senior Partner $ 900 $ 921 2% $ 962 4% $ 990 3% $ 1,031 4% $ 1,053 2% $ 1,080 2%

Partner(E) $ 874 $ 907 4% $ 948 5% $ 980 3% $ 1,020 4% $ 1,057 4% $ 1,082 2%

Counsel $ 831 $ 875 5% $ 916 5% $ 950 4% $ 990 4% $ 1,040 5% $ 1,062 2%

Senior Associate(E) $ 629 $ 702 12% $ 739 5% $ 801 8% $ 891 11% $ 946 6% $ 1,019 8%









Overall $498 $523 5% $557 7% $594 7% $634 7% $671 6% $718 7%



498 | P a g e

ERISA


% 2014

% 2015

% 2016

% 2017

% 2018e


Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP

Senior Partner $ 1,154 $ 1,215 5% $ 1,242 2% $ 1,278 3% $ 1,330 4% $ 1,363 2% $ 1,406 3%

Partner(E) $ 984 $ 1,034 5% $ 1,079 4% $ 1,116 3% $ 1,142 2% $ 1,200 5% $ 1,251 4%

Counsel(E) $ 907 $ 934 3% $ 958 3% $ 1,005 5% $ 1,041 4% $ 1,080 4% $ 1,126 4%

Senior Associate(E) $ 655 $ 692 6% $ 754 9% $ 815 8% $ 916 12% $ 983 7% $ 1,036 5%









Overall $566 $601 6% $639 6% $679 6% $725 7% $760 5% $801 5%

Environmental


% 2014

% 2015

% 2016

% 2017

% 2018e


Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP

Senior Partner $ 1,186 $ 1,223 3% $ 1,270 4% $ 1,312 3% $ 1,330 1% $ 1,397 5% $ 1,465 5%

Partner(E) $ 1,044 $ 1,075 3% $ 1,107 3% $ 1,130 2% $ 1,150 2% $ 1,204 5% $ 1,251 4%

Counsel $ 789 $ 835 6% $ 880 5% $ 925 5% $ 948 2% $ 987 4% $ 1,012 2%

Senior Associate $ 578 $ 657 14% $ 712 8% $ 790 11% $ 865 9% $ 951 10% $ 1,045 10%









Overall $542 $570 5% $611 7% $652 7% $693 6% $746 8% $791 6%



611 | P a g e

Electronic Discovery


% 2014

% 2015

% 2016

% 2017

% 2018e


Paul Hastings LLP

Senior Partner(E) $ 959 $ 1,000 4% $ 1,050 5% $ 1,076 2% $ 1,130 5% $ 1,145 1% $ 1,194 4%

Partner $ 840 $ 860 2% $ 900 5% $ 943 5% $ 1,000 6% $ 1,022 2% $ 1,053 3%

Counsel(E) $ 773 $ 765 -1% $ 819 7% $ 820 0% $ 880 7% $ 940 7% $ 947 1%

Senior Associate $ 711 $ 666 -6% $ 729 10% $ 738 1% $ 810 10% $ 827 2% $ 862 4%

8th Year Associate(E) $ 557 $ 557 0% $ 583 5% $ 585 0% $ 655 12% $ 641 -2% $ 714 11%


6th Year Associate(E) $ 445 $ 472 6% $ 457 -3% $ 479 5% $ 531 11% $ 513 -3% $ 591 15%



3rd Year Associate(E) $ 317 $ 325 2% $ 322 -1% $ 349 8% $ 396 13% $ 346 -13% $ 431 25%

2nd Year Associate(E) $ 286 $ 293 2% $ 280 -4% $ 317 13% $ 360 13% $ 315 -13% $ 392 25%

1st Year Associate(E) $ 260 $ 260 0% $ 255 -2% $ 282 11% $ 317 12% $ 289 -9% $ 361 25%

Overall $533 $541 2% $557 3% $578 4% $632 9% $622 -2% $684 10%

ERISA


% 2014

% 2015

% 2016

% 2017

% 2018e


Paul Hastings LLP

Senior Partner $ 995 $ 1,015 2% $ 1,023 1% $ 1,050 3% $ 1,097 4% $ 1,131 3% $ 1,177 4%

Partner $ 922 $ 963 4% $ 1,014 5% $ 1,038 2% $ 1,090 5% $ 1,117 2% $ 1,145 2%

Counsel(E) $ 832 $ 870 5% $ 901 4% $ 924 3% $ 955 3% $ 1,005 5% $ 1,031 2%










Overall $496 $530 7% $560 6% $600 7% $650 8% $687 6% $728 6%



675 | P a g e



% 2014

% 2015

% 2016

% 2017

% 2018e


Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP

Senior Partner $ 887 $ 927 4% $ 962 4% $ 988 3% $ 1,040 5% $ 1,065 2% $ 1,092 2%

Partner $ 695 $ 710 2% $ 735 4% $ 754 3% $ 786 4% $ 815 4% $ 842 3%

Counsel $ 596 $ 626 5% $ 660 5% $ 695 5% $ 705 1% $ 723 2% $ 739 2%







3rd Year Associate(E) $ 233 $ 247 6% $ 270 9% $ 267 -1% $ 297 12% $ 327 10% $ 356 9%



Overall $398 $421 6% $450 7% $471 4% $506 8% $535 6% $576 8%

ERISA


% 2014

% 2015

% 2016

% 2017

% 2018e


Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP

Senior Partner $ 774 $ 808 4% $ 848 5% $ 883 4% $ 925 5% $ 957 3% $ 977 2%

Partner(E) $ 677 $ 698 3% $ 728 4% $ 765 5% $ 812 6% $ 835 3% $ 862 3%

Counsel $ 586 $ 614 5% $ 636 4% $ 650 2% $ 682 5% $ 696 2% $ 730 5%

Senior Associate $ 534 $ 565 6% $ 553 -2% $ 578 5% $ 601 4% $ 627 4% $ 657 5%





4th Year Associate(E) $ 283 $ 284 0% $ 293 3% $ 318 8% $ 302 -5% $ 308 2% $ 349 13%

3rd Year Associate(E) $ 261 $ 255 -2% $ 264 3% $ 292 11% $ 268 -8% $ 280 4% $ 317 13%

2nd Year Associate(E) $ 227 $ 225 -1% $ 238 6% $ 263 11% $ 244 -7% $ 255 4% $ 276 8%

1st Year Associate(E) $ 200 $ 198 -1% $ 219 11% $ 229 5% $ 215 -6% $ 229 7% $ 249 8%

Overall $420 $432 3% $445 3% $467 5% $476 2% $487 2% $520 7%



780 | P a g e

ERISA


% 2014

% 2015

% 2016

% 2017

% 2018e


Goodwin Procter LLP

Senior Partner $ 962 $ 1,010 5% $ 1,047 4% $ 1,094 4% $ 1,120 2% $ 1,161 4% $ 1,214 4%

Partner(E) $ 847 $ 899 6% $ 942 5% $ 973 3% $ 1,030 6% $ 1,057 3% $ 1,080 2%

Counsel(E) $ 791 $ 813 3% $ 841 3% $ 882 5% $ 917 4% $ 972 6% $ 994 2%










Overall $473 $502 6% $534 6% $566 6% $606 7% $646 7% $685 6%

Environmental


% 2014

% 2015

% 2016

% 2017

% 2018e


Goodwin Procter LLP

Senior Partner $ 604 $ 627 4% $ 655 4% $ 673 3% $ 699 4% $ 716 2% $ 740 3%

Partner(E) $ 564 $ 577 2% $ 602 4% $ 619 3% $ 636 3% $ 651 2% $ 679 4%

Counsel(E) $ 492 $ 505 3% $ 518 2% $ 531 3% $ 549 3% $ 566 3% $ 579 2%










Overall $309 $326 5% $347 7% $370 7% $393 6% $414 5% $445 7%



971 | P a g e



% 2014

% 2015

% 2016

% 2017

% 2018e


Alston & Bird LLP

Senior Partner $ 745 $ 749 1% $ 803 7% $ 807 0% $ 842 4% $ 887 5% $ 911 3%

Partner $ 671 $ 687 2% $ 711 3% $ 740 4% $ 766 3% $ 785 2% $ 820 4%

Counsel $ 641 $ 663 3% $ 678 2% $ 707 4% $ 738 4% $ 766 4% $ 785 2%










Overall $359 $377 5% $402 7% $424 5% $448 6% $481 7% $507 5%

ERISA


% 2014

% 2015

% 2016

% 2017

% 2018e


Alston & Bird LLP

Senior Partner $ 715 $ 743 4% $ 769 3% $ 802 4% $ 825 3% $ 855 4% $ 897 5%

Partner $ 551 $ 569 3% $ 581 2% $ 608 5% $ 622 2% $ 636 2% $ 659 4%

Counsel(E) $ 491 $ 502 2% $ 533 6% $ 565 6% $ 595 5% $ 617 4% $ 648 5%










Overall $326 $347 7% $376 8% $400 6% $425 6% $448 5% $478 7%



985 | P a g e

ERISA


% 2014

% 2015

% 2016

% 2017

% 2018e


O'Melveny & Myers LLP

Senior Partner $ 994 $ 1,031 4% $ 1,054 2% $ 1,098 4% $ 1,125 2% $ 1,161 3% $ 1,188 2%

Partner(E) $ 876 $ 920 5% $ 957 4% $ 998 4% $ 1,024 3% $ 1,068 4% $ 1,114 4%

Counsel(E) $ 823 $ 844 3% $ 882 5% $ 899 2% $ 921 2% $ 940 2% $ 980 4%










Overall $474 $499 5% $535 7% $575 8% $610 6% $642 5% $679 6%

Finance


% 2014

% 2015

% 2016

% 2017

% 2018e


O'Melveny & Myers LLP

Senior Partner $ 878 $ 919 5% $ 963 5% $ 999 4% $ 1,020 2% $ 1,068 5% $ 1,110 4%

Partner $ 863 $ 890 3% $ 911 2% $ 933 2% $ 975 4% $ 995 2% $ 1,029 3%

Counsel $ 686 $ 707 3% $ 741 5% $ 770 4% $ 791 3% $ 815 3% $ 850 4%










Overall $423 $448 6% $480 7% $511 6% $543 6% $576 6% $613 6%



1042 | P a g e

Creditor's Rights


% 2014

% 2015

% 2016

% 2017

% 2018e


Foley & Lardner LLP

Senior Partner $ 675 $ 685 1% $ 703 3% $ 725 3% $ 750 3% $ 767 2% $ 785 2%

Partner(E) $ 560 $ 585 4% $ 616 5% $ 637 3% $ 664 4% $ 690 4% $ 707 2%

Counsel(E) $ 535 $ 542 1% $ 563 4% $ 587 4% $ 614 5% $ 628 2% $ 655 4%










Overall $338 $357 6% $378 6% $405 7% $431 7% $455 5% $490 8%

ERISA


% 2014

% 2015

% 2016

% 2017

% 2018e


Foley & Lardner LLP

Senior Partner(E) $ 546 $ 571 5% $ 593 4% $ 608 2% $ 622 2% $ 627 1% $ 663 6%

Partner $ 467 $ 486 4% $ 509 5% $ 530 4% $ 550 4% $ 570 4% $ 597 5%

Counsel(E) $ 446 $ 467 5% $ 488 5% $ 513 5% $ 535 4% $ 568 6% $ 596 5%


8th Year Associate(E) $ 328 $ 325 -1% $ 366 13% $ 390 6% $ 412 6% $ 449 9% $ 472 5%








Overall $291 $306 5% $327 7% $347 6% $370 7% $395 7% $422 7%



1150 | P a g e

ERISA


% 2014

% 2015

% 2016

% 2017

% 2018e


Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP

Senior Partner $ 566 $ 592 4% $ 605 2% $ 630 4% $ 652 3% $ 668 2% $ 693 4%

Partner(E) $ 494 $ 490 -1% $ 516 5% $ 544 5% $ 541 0% $ 564 4% $ 599 6%

Counsel(E) $ 437 $ 450 3% $ 469 4% $ 486 4% $ 501 3% $ 517 3% $ 539 4%



7th Year Associate(E) $ 280 $ 298 6% $ 294 -1% $ 308 5% $ 321 4% $ 335 4% $ 334 0%

6th Year Associate(E) $ 249 $ 263 5% $ 265 1% $ 280 6% $ 296 5% $ 308 4% $ 294 -5%



3rd Year Associate(E) $ 168 $ 193 15% $ 197 2% $ 204 4% $ 228 11% $ 225 -1% $ 203 -10%

2nd Year Associate(E) $ 155 $ 170 10% $ 180 5% $ 182 1% $ 207 14% $ 204 -1% $ 182 -11%

1st Year Associate(E) $ 134 $ 151 13% $ 158 4% $ 162 2% $ 180 11% $ 184 2% $ 168 -9%

Overall $299 $316 6% $323 2% $339 5% $355 5% $364 2% $364 0%

Entertainment


% 2014

% 2015

% 2016

% 2017

% 2018e


Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP

Senior Partner $ 690 $ 704 2% $ 725 3% $ 744 3% $ 775 4% $ 791 2% $ 815 3%

Partner(E) $ 626 $ 641 2% $ 662 3% $ 687 4% $ 718 5% $ 740 3% $ 763 3%

Counsel $ 550 $ 565 3% $ 586 4% $ 616 5% $ 646 5% $ 674 4% $ 696 3%










Overall $284 $300 5% $318 6% $340 7% $360 6% $377 5% $398 6%



1243 | P a g e

Discrimination and Harassment


% 2014

% 2015

% 2016

% 2017

% 2018e


Littler Mendelson P.C.

Senior Partner(E) $ 438 $ 489 12% $ 487 0% $ 540 11% $ 603 12% $ 615 2% $ 689 12%

Partner $ 388 $ 437 13% $ 451 3% $ 487 8% $ 548 13% $ 544 -1% $ 620 14%

Counsel $ 346 $ 386 12% $ 399 3% $ 438 10% $ 490 12% $ 504 3% $ 559 11%










Overall $243 $265 9% $280 6% $304 9% $338 11% $357 6% $388 9%

ERISA


% 2014

% 2015

% 2016

% 2017

% 2018e


Littler Mendelson P.C.

Senior Partner $ 625 $ 648 4% $ 679 5% $ 700 3% $ 724 3% $ 756 4% $ 778 3%

Partner(E) $ 571 $ 593 4% $ 613 3% $ 630 3% $ 666 6% $ 695 4% $ 725 4%

Counsel(E) $ 550 $ 573 4% $ 593 4% $ 613 3% $ 626 2% $ 640 2% $ 667 4%










Overall $244 $258 6% $273 6% $290 6% $308 6% $324 5% $341 5%



1253 | P a g e

ERISA


% 2014

% 2015

% 2016

% 2017

% 2018e


Venable LLP

Senior Partner $ 641 $ 668 4% $ 699 5% $ 720 3% $ 752 4% $ 790 5% $ 827 5%

Partner(E) $ 588 $ 613 4% $ 641 5% $ 663 3% $ 688 4% $ 718 4% $ 749 4%

Counsel $ 524 $ 545 4% $ 571 5% $ 593 4% $ 611 3% $ 633 3% $ 657 4%










Overall $304 $325 7% $349 8% $373 7% $398 7% $421 6% $449 7%

Environmental


% 2014

% 2015

% 2016

% 2017

% 2018e


Venable LLP

Senior Partner $ 904 $ 925 2% $ 935 1% $ 982 5% $ 1,007 3% $ 1,055 5% $ 1,084 3%

Partner(E) $ 752 $ 790 5% $ 811 3% $ 850 5% $ 873 3% $ 907 4% $ 940 4%

Counsel $ 625 $ 640 2% $ 670 5% $ 701 5% $ 721 3% $ 742 3% $ 776 5%










Overall $352 $371 6% $390 5% $419 7% $443 6% $469 6% $495 6%



1301 | P a g e

ERISA


% 2014

% 2015

% 2016

% 2017

% 2018e


Nixon Peabody LLP

Senior Partner $ 259 $ 271 5% $ 290 7% $ 291 0% $ 311 7% $ 320 3% $ 340 6%

Partner(E) $ 233 $ 246 6% $ 259 5% $ 269 4% $ 282 5% $ 296 5% $ 309 4%

Counsel(E) $ 214 $ 222 4% $ 231 4% $ 240 4% $ 250 4% $ 262 5% $ 273 4%

Senior Associate $ 188 $ 200 6% $ 213 6% $ 212 -1% $ 230 9% $ 238 4% $ 240 1%


7th Year Associate(E) $ 137 $ 139 1% $ 157 13% $ 151 -4% $ 175 16% $ 166 -5% $ 171 3%

6th Year Associate(E) $ 126 $ 125 -1% $ 136 9% $ 131 -4% $ 156 19% $ 145 -7% $ 153 6%

5th Year Associate $ 115 $ 115 0% $ 120 4% $ 118 -2% $ 136 15% $ 132 -3% $ 139 6%


3rd Year Associate(E) $ 93 $ 94 1% $ 99 5% $ 99 -1% $ 110 11% $ 100 -9% $ 110 10%

2nd Year Associate(E) $ 84 $ 83 -1% $ 88 6% $ 91 3% $ 97 6% $ 87 -10% $ 101 17%

1st Year Associate(E) $ 74 $ 74 0% $ 80 8% $ 80 0% $ 86 7% $ 77 -10% $ 93 21%

Overall $148 $152 3% $163 7% $163 0% $179 9% $177 -1% $187 6%

Energy


% 2014

% 2015

% 2016

% 2017

% 2018e


Nixon Peabody LLP

Senior Partner $ 402 $ 414 3% $ 430 4% $ 448 4% $ 464 4% $ 480 3% $ 489 2%

Partner(E) $ 347 $ 360 4% $ 377 5% $ 393 4% $ 409 4% $ 417 2% $ 440 6%

Counsel(E) $ 304 $ 316 4% $ 325 3% $ 342 5% $ 356 4% $ 371 4% $ 387 4%





5th Year Associate(E) $ 143 $ 175 23% $ 163 -7% $ 188 15% $ 182 -3% $ 197 8% $ 197 0%

4th Year Associate(E) $ 127 $ 158 24% $ 149 -6% $ 167 13% $ 166 -1% $ 176 6% $ 171 -3%

3rd Year Associate(E) $ 116 $ 141 22% $ 129 -8% $ 150 16% $ 146 -3% $ 162 11% $ 149 -8%

2nd Year Associate(E) $ 106 $ 128 20% $ 114 -11% $ 132 16% $ 130 -2% $ 141 8% $ 129 -8%

1st Year Associate(E) $ 98 $ 114 16% $ 99 -13% $ 117 18% $ 114 -2% $ 126 11% $ 118 -7%

Overall $205 $229 12% $224 -2% $245 9% $250 2% $261 4% $264 1%



1399 | P a g e

PRACTICE AREAS Bankruptcy


% 2014

% 2015

% 2016

% 2017

% 2018e


Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C.

Senior Partner(E) $ 904 $ 954 5% $ 981 3% $ 1,041 6% $ 1,065 2% $ 1,129 6% $ 1,178 4%

Partner $ 837 $ 875 4% $ 900 3% $ 938 4% $ 977 4% $ 999 2% $ 1,023 2%

Counsel(E) $ 612 $ 649 6% $ 673 4% $ 707 5% $ 740 5% $ 769 4% $ 797 4%










Overall $367 $392 7% $413 5% $442 7% $469 6% $499 6% $526 5%

ERISA


% 2014

% 2015

% 2016

% 2017

% 2018e


Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C.

Senior Partner $ 605 $ 635 5% $ 650 2% $ 673 4% $ 694 3% $ 718 3% $ 750 4%

Partner(E) $ 598 $ 613 3% $ 626 2% $ 647 3% $ 673 4% $ 699 4% $ 724 4%

Counsel $ 555 $ 575 4% $ 590 3% $ 608 3% $ 638 5% $ 667 4% $ 684 3%










Overall $273 $288 6% $304 6% $319 5% $342 7% $363 6% $384 6%



1452 | P a g e



% 2014

% 2015

% 2016

% 2017

% 2018e


Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP

Senior Partner $ 615 $ 639 4% $ 658 3% $ 685 4% $ 710 4% $ 727 2% $ 748 3%

Partner(E) $ 539 $ 563 4% $ 583 4% $ 609 4% $ 623 2% $ 647 4% $ 673 4%

Counsel(E) $ 491 $ 501 2% $ 527 5% $ 553 5% $ 575 4% $ 582 1% $ 607 4%










Overall $267 $280 5% $299 7% $321 7% $340 6% $362 6% $383 6%

ERISA


% 2014

% 2015

% 2016

% 2017

% 2018e


Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP

Senior Partner $ 694 $ 724 4% $ 743 3% $ 780 5% $ 797 2% $ 831 4% $ 855 3%

Partner $ 496 $ 520 5% $ 545 5% $ 571 5% $ 585 2% $ 603 3% $ 631 5%

Counsel $ 429 $ 448 4% $ 467 4% $ 483 3% $ 495 2% $ 516 4% $ 539 4%










Overall $283 $300 6% $322 7% $343 7% $364 6% $387 6% $412 6%



1489 | P a g e

ERISA


% 2014

% 2015

% 2016

% 2017

% 2018e


Jackson Lewis LLP

Senior Partner(E) $ 591 $ 622 5% $ 653 5% $ 706 8% $ 725 3% $ 757 4% $ 786 4%

Partner $ 526 $ 553 5% $ 594 7% $ 621 5% $ 667 7% $ 673 1% $ 691 3%

Counsel(E) $ 479 $ 503 5% $ 535 6% $ 553 3% $ 601 9% $ 613 2% $ 601 -2%

Senior Associate $ 431 $ 453 5% $ 476 5% $ 509 7% $ 553 9% $ 539 -2% $ 535 -1%

8th Year Associate(E) $ 341 $ 371 9% $ 373 0% $ 398 7% $ 458 15% $ 413 -10% $ 410 -1%





3rd Year Associate(E) $ 190 $ 205 8% $ 206 0% $ 230 12% $ 258 12% $ 225 -13% $ 247 10%



Overall $325 $347 7% $359 3% $385 7% $421 9% $400 -5% $416 4%

Labor and Employment


% 2014

% 2015

% 2016

% 2017

% 2018e


Jackson Lewis LLP

Senior Partner $ 618 $ 633 2% $ 654 3% $ 677 4% $ 695 3% $ 722 4% $ 744 3%

Partner $ 401 $ 410 2% $ 423 3% $ 428 1% $ 449 5% $ 461 3% $ 480 4%

Counsel $ 349 $ 363 4% $ 379 4% $ 395 4% $ 409 3% $ 420 3% $ 441 5%










Overall $233 $245 5% $262 7% $275 5% $291 6% $309 6% $328 6%



1596 | P a g e

ERISA


% 2014

% 2015

% 2016

% 2017

% 2018e


Steptoe & Johnson LLP

Senior Partner $ 768 $ 808 5% $ 827 2% $ 852 3% $ 890 4% $ 930 4% $ 953 2%

Partner(E) $ 686 $ 717 4% $ 753 5% $ 768 2% $ 804 5% $ 828 3% $ 863 4%

Counsel(E) $ 655 $ 680 4% $ 694 2% $ 719 4% $ 740 3% $ 762 3% $ 794 4%










Overall $385 $409 6% $432 6% $459 6% $488 6% $517 6% $546 6%

Energy


% 2014

% 2015

% 2016

% 2017

% 2018e


Steptoe & Johnson LLP

Senior Partner $ 709 $ 731 3% $ 751 3% $ 777 3% $ 803 3% $ 834 4% $ 862 3%

Partner(E) $ 624 $ 637 2% $ 662 4% $ 686 4% $ 700 2% $ 726 4% $ 759 5%

Counsel(E) $ 540 $ 552 2% $ 571 4% $ 583 2% $ 614 5% $ 646 5% $ 668 3%










Overall $329 $347 6% $370 6% $390 6% $415 6% $444 7% $471 6%



1765 | P a g e

ERISA


% 2014

% 2015

% 2016

% 2017

% 2018e


Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC

Senior Partner $ 519 $ 532 3% $ 558 5% $ 570 2% $ 582 2% $ 596 2% $ 621 4%

Partner $ 525 $ 537 2% $ 550 2% $ 561 2% $ 577 3% $ 606 5% $ 629 4%

Counsel(E) $ 455 $ 466 2% $ 489 5% $ 499 2% $ 525 5% $ 557 6% $ 566 2%





5th Year Associate(E) $ 196 $ 194 -1% $ 219 13% $ 232 6% $ 252 9% $ 277 10% $ 314 13%





Overall $277 $291 5% $311 7% $327 5% $347 6% $368 6% $396 7%

Energy


% 2014

% 2015

% 2016

% 2017

% 2018e


Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC

Senior Partner $ 435 $ 446 2% $ 465 4% $ 486 4% $ 510 5% $ 529 4% $ 548 4%

Partner(E) $ 402 $ 412 2% $ 426 3% $ 445 4% $ 466 5% $ 482 3% $ 501 4%

Counsel $ 361 $ 370 2% $ 378 2% $ 395 4% $ 413 4% $ 424 3% $ 443 4%










Overall $199 $210 6% $222 5% $237 7% $254 7% $269 6% $288 7%



1822 | P a g e



% 2014

% 2015

% 2016

% 2017

% 2018e


Arent Fox LLP

Senior Partner $ 700 $ 734 5% $ 763 4% $ 798 5% $ 829 4% $ 872 5% $ 897 3%

Partner $ 631 $ 663 5% $ 680 3% $ 705 4% $ 720 2% $ 744 3% $ 759 2%

Counsel(E) $ 581 $ 596 3% $ 610 2% $ 631 4% $ 658 4% $ 691 5% $ 727 5%










Overall $345 $370 7% $391 6% $418 7% $443 6% $469 6% $503 7%

ERISA


% 2014

% 2015

% 2016

% 2017

% 2018e


Arent Fox LLP

Senior Partner $ 589 $ 605 3% $ 635 5% $ 658 4% $ 678 3% $ 701 3% $ 734 5%

Partner $ 553 $ 570 3% $ 582 2% $ 602 3% $ 628 4% $ 642 2% $ 663 3%

Counsel(E) $ 433 $ 445 3% $ 464 4% $ 486 5% $ 516 6% $ 542 5% $ 572 5%










Overall $258 $274 6% $292 7% $310 6% $329 6% $351 7% $376 7%



1897 | P a g e



% 2014

% 2015

% 2016

% 2017

% 2018e


Quarles & Brady LLP

Senior Partner $ 440 $ 453 3% $ 465 3% $ 484 4% $ 500 3% $ 519 4% $ 544 5%

Partner(E) $ 377 $ 396 5% $ 412 4% $ 425 3% $ 435 2% $ 462 6% $ 490 6%

Counsel(E) $ 354 $ 368 4% $ 386 5% $ 395 2% $ 408 3% $ 420 3% $ 441 5%










Overall $214 $228 7% $242 6% $255 5% $271 6% $289 6% $308 7%

ERISA


% 2014

% 2015

% 2016

% 2017

% 2018e


Quarles & Brady LLP

Senior Partner $ 430 $ 442 3% $ 455 3% $ 469 3% $ 486 4% $ 500 3% $ 521 4%

Partner(E) $ 398 $ 407 2% $ 419 3% $ 437 4% $ 455 4% $ 468 3% $ 479 2%

Counsel(E) $ 345 $ 356 3% $ 368 3% $ 380 3% $ 393 4% $ 414 5% $ 432 4%










Overall $207 $218 5% $232 7% $247 6% $262 6% $278 6% $293 5%



1960 | P a g e

ERISA


% 2014

% 2015

% 2016

% 2017

% 2018e


Jackson Walker LLP

Senior Partner $ 454 $ 473 4% $ 493 4% $ 504 2% $ 525 4% $ 542 3% $ 554 2%

Partner(E) $ 400 $ 415 4% $ 434 5% $ 449 4% $ 470 5% $ 484 3% $ 497 3%

Counsel $ 338 $ 348 3% $ 366 5% $ 385 5% $ 405 5% $ 416 3% $ 430 3%










Overall $220 $234 6% $251 7% $268 7% $290 8% $306 6% $323 6%

Energy


% 2014

% 2015

% 2016

% 2017

% 2018e


Jackson Walker LLP

Senior Partner $ 593 $ 615 4% $ 635 3% $ 652 3% $ 671 3% $ 691 3% $ 724 5%

Partner(E) $ 539 $ 560 4% $ 581 4% $ 605 4% $ 623 3% $ 650 4% $ 665 2%

Counsel(E) $ 469 $ 487 4% $ 510 5% $ 524 3% $ 531 1% $ 547 3% $ 570 4%










Overall $266 $282 6% $301 6% $318 6% $341 7% $357 5% $378 6%



2003 | P a g e

ERISA


% 2014

% 2015

% 2016

% 2017

% 2018e


Vedder Price PC

Senior Partner $ 550 $ 578 5% $ 602 4% $ 625 4% $ 645 3% $ 672 4% $ 691 3%

Partner(E) $ 513 $ 530 3% $ 548 3% $ 575 5% $ 587 2% $ 592 1% $ 617 4%

Counsel(E) $ 447 $ 469 5% $ 493 5% $ 517 5% $ 522 1% $ 533 2% $ 553 4%










Overall $264 $282 7% $300 6% $320 7% $338 6% $357 6% $382 7%

Intellectual Property Litigation


% 2014

% 2015

% 2016

% 2017

% 2018e


Vedder Price PC

Senior Partner(E) $ 633 $ 652 3% $ 661 1% $ 683 3% $ 706 3% $ 733 4% $ 754 3%

Partner $ 565 $ 577 2% $ 596 3% $ 610 2% $ 636 4% $ 654 3% $ 680 4%

Counsel $ 310 $ 322 4% $ 334 4% $ 348 4% $ 362 4% $ 374 3% $ 392 5%








2nd Year Associate(E) $ 85 $ 100 18% $ 103 3% $ 107 4% $ 131 22% $ 148 13% $ 143 -3%

1st Year Associate(E) $ 75 $ 91 20% $ 94 4% $ 95 1% $ 115 21% $ 130 13% $ 129 -1%

Overall $225 $238 6% $247 4% $262 6% $283 8% $303 7% $319 5%



2290 | P a g e

ERISA


% 2014

% 2015

% 2016

% 2017

% 2018e


Fisher & Phillips LLP

Senior Partner $ 412 $ 432 5% $ 452 5% $ 473 5% $ 492 4% $ 510 4% $ 524 3%

Partner(E) $ 371 $ 376 1% $ 398 6% $ 421 6% $ 443 5% $ 464 5% $ 484 4%

Counsel(E) $ 328 $ 345 5% $ 353 2% $ 370 5% $ 390 5% $ 408 5% $ 429 5%

Senior Associate $ 292 $ 317 9% $ 307 -3% $ 333 9% $ 343 3% $ 375 10% $ 391 4%






3rd Year Associate(E) $ 126 $ 166 31% $ 139 -16% $ 144 4% $ 166 15% $ 168 1% $ 177 5%



Overall $222 $251 13% $238 -5% $253 6% $270 7% $282 4% $295 5%

Labor and Employment


% 2014

% 2015

% 2016

% 2017

% 2018e


Fisher & Phillips LLP

Senior Partner $ 550 $ 573 4% $ 597 4% $ 615 3% $ 627 2% $ 652 4% $ 677 4%

Partner $ 305 $ 319 5% $ 327 3% $ 340 4% $ 356 5% $ 374 5% $ 386 3%

Counsel $ 280 $ 293 5% $ 291 -1% $ 299 3% $ 324 8% $ 325 0% $ 344 6%

Senior Associate $ 244 $ 261 7% $ 265 2% $ 272 3% $ 295 8% $ 293 -1% $ 316 8%



6th Year Associate(E) $ 160 $ 169 6% $ 176 4% $ 163 -7% $ 185 13% $ 188 1% $ 210 12%

5th Year Associate $ 147 $ 152 4% $ 153 0% $ 142 -7% $ 168 18% $ 167 -1% $ 193 16%

4th Year Associate(E) $ 130 $ 140 8% $ 139 -1% $ 131 -6% $ 150 15% $ 152 1% $ 168 11%

3rd Year Associate(E) $ 118 $ 125 6% $ 122 -2% $ 120 -2% $ 135 12% $ 135 0% $ 148 9%

2nd Year Associate(E) $ 108 $ 109 0% $ 107 -2% $ 105 -2% $ 117 12% $ 122 4% $ 134 11%

1st Year Associate(E) $ 99 $ 96 -3% $ 93 -3% $ 94 2% $ 106 12% $ 107 1% $ 121 13%

Overall $209 $219 5% $223 2% $223 0% $242 8% $245 1% $265 8%



2384 | P a g e

Creditor's Rights


% 2014

% 2015

% 2016

% 2017

% 2018e


GrayRobinson PA

Senior Partner $ 491 $ 503 2% $ 515 2% $ 527 2% $ 543 3% $ 557 2% $ 578 4%

Partner(E) $ 412 $ 430 4% $ 448 4% $ 469 5% $ 473 1% $ 495 5% $ 517 4%

Counsel(E) $ 390 $ 398 2% $ 409 3% $ 419 3% $ 434 4% $ 456 5% $ 468 3%










Overall $207 $218 5% $230 5% $243 6% $256 5% $275 7% $291 6%

ERISA


% 2014

% 2015

% 2016

% 2017

% 2018e


GrayRobinson PA

Senior Partner(E) $ 319 $ 330 4% $ 345 4% $ 362 5% $ 374 4% $ 390 4% $ 404 3%

Partner $ 301 $ 315 4% $ 329 4% $ 336 2% $ 350 4% $ 361 3% $ 374 3%

Counsel(E) $ 254 $ 261 3% $ 277 6% $ 289 4% $ 307 6% $ 325 6% $ 343 6%










Overall $156 $166 7% $177 7% $187 6% $199 7% $214 7% $227 6%



2566 | P a g e

Electronic Discovery


% 2014

% 2015

% 2016

% 2017

% 2018e


Lane Powell PC

Senior Partner(E) $ 437 $ 448 2% $ 476 6% $ 495 4% $ 515 4% $ 526 2% $ 551 5%

Partner $ 401 $ 415 3% $ 429 3% $ 450 5% $ 464 3% $ 474 2% $ 487 3%

Counsel(E) $ 379 $ 391 3% $ 400 2% $ 414 3% $ 427 3% $ 431 1% $ 444 3%










Overall $221 $229 4% $246 7% $264 7% $282 7% $297 5% $316 6%

ERISA


% 2014

% 2015

% 2016

% 2017

% 2018e


Lane Powell PC

Senior Partner $ 542 $ 565 4% $ 581 3% $ 607 4% $ 623 3% $ 649 4% $ 666 3%

Partner $ 352 $ 366 4% $ 383 5% $ 391 2% $ 400 2% $ 411 3% $ 428 4%

Counsel(E) $ 310 $ 318 3% $ 332 4% $ 348 5% $ 356 2% $ 365 3% $ 385 5%










Overall $188 $199 6% $212 6% $226 7% $240 6% $256 6% $272 6%


EXHIBIT 4


For more information, contact:Richard Simmons Billy Shaw

[email protected] [email protected]

952.404.5703 917.673.1905

Successful management of ERISA litigation settlements requires deep subject matter expertise and sensitivity to the concerns of all parties to a litigation. Class members are not only class counsel’s clients—but also the defendant’s employees.

By addressing the nuances of settlement administration unique to ERISA litigation at the time of settlement—the timelines and expense associated with notifying the class and disbursing funds can be managed and controlled, the needs and questions of class members can be effectively addressed, and settlement funds can be distributed faster and at lower cost to the class.

Analytics has over fifteen years of experience administering ERISA settlements. With more than $250 million distributed to more than one million participants, we lead the industry with subject matter expertise and innovation. Our experience with ERISA settlements has led us to develop operations and systems that make the administration run like clock-work, which means you capitalize on our institutional knowledge. The continuity we provide from case to case ensures no costly surprises or unexpected fees.

Practice Area: ERISA Litigation

EXPERIENCE

Recent notable ERISA settlements with large class sizes and unique notice campaigns that we have administered include:

• American Airlines ERISA Litigation: $22,000,000 settlement of a class of 100,000 plan participants.

• International Paper ERISA Litigation: $30,000,000 settlement of a class of 173,000 plan participants.

• Lockheed Martin ERISA Litigation: $62,000,000 settlement of a class of 184,000 plan participants.

• Mass Mutual ERISA Litigation: $31,000,000 settlement of a class of 32,000 plan participants.

• Novant ERISA Litigation: $32,000,000 settlement of a class of 70,000 plan participants.

• Northrop Grumman Corp. ERISA Litigation: $16,750,000 settlement of a class of 222,000 plan participants.

• NY Life ERISA Litigation: $3,000,000 settlement of a class of 16,000 plan participants.

DEEP EXPERIENCE WITH

ERISA SETTLEMENTS

LEADS TO SHORTER TIMES

FROM SETTLEMENT TO

DISTRIBUTION AT

A LOWER COST TO

THE CLASS


For more information, contact:Richard Simmons Billy Shaw

[email protected] [email protected]

952.404.5703 917.673.1905

PROVEN EXPERIENCE DECREASES COSTS—AND SHORTENS TIME TO DISTRIBUTION

Reviewing the settlements that we have administered—there are several factors that the parties should anticipate and address to avoid ambiguity, delay, and cost overruns in the management of a settlement:

• Plan Administrators: During a class period, a company may have changed plan administrators several times and data from early in the class period may either not be available or stored on a summary basis. In designing and implementing a plan of allocation, it is important to know who the historic administrators are and what data they’ve retained. A plan of allocation that can’t be supported with computerized data can lead to re-notice of the class or extensive capture of legacy records.

• Former Plan Participants: In many instances, a significant portion of the class are former plan participants. It’s important to consider the implications of different distribution options to these individuals. How the distributions to former plan participants are structured have different implications for tax notification and reporting. Taking these factors into consideration while the settlement is being designed minimizes unnecessary and costly communications at the time of distribution.

• Heirs and Qualified Domestic Relation Orders: With extended class periods that come with many ERISA litigations, it is likely that some members of the class are either deceased—or their plan assets (including the distribution of the settlement) are subject to a Qualified Domestic Relation Order. It is important that the parties have worked with their administrator to develop or approve appropriate procedures to validate these claims.

Our experience with ERISA settlements shows that the parties can—and, to save time and expenses, should—anticipate common issues with the administration of ERISA settlements.

DATA SECURITY LOWERS YOUR RISK

We understand the importance of protecting your data and minimizing your liability, which is why our data security practices exceed today’s industry standards. Our information security program—relied upon by the Federal agency responsible for enforcing the nation’s information security standards—is based on standard business processes, including an employee screening program, ongoing security awareness training, and a secure data center. All are designed to ensure the data is available, remains confidential and is not compromised in any way.

PROVEN SYSTEMS DRIVE DOWN COSTS

Our fifteen years of experience with ERISA settlements has enabled us to develop and offer operations and systems that make the administration run like clock-work, which means you capitalize on our institutional knowledge. The continuity we provide from case to case ensures no costly surprises or unexpected fees.


Richard W. Simmons

BIOGRAPHY

Richard W. Simmons is the President of Analytics Consulting LLC1. Mr. Simmons joined

Analytics in 1990, and has more than 26 years of experience developing and implementing class

action communications and settlement programs in more than 1,000 separate settlements.

Mr. Simmons’ first legal notice consulting engagement was the Schwan’s Salmonella Litigation

settlement (In Re: Salmonella Litigation, Case No. 94-cv-016304 (D. Minn.)). Since then, he

has:

• Developed and implemented notice campaigns ranging in size up to 45 million known

class members (and 180 million unknown class members);

• Testified regarding legal notice in building products, civil rights, consumer products,

environmental pollution, privacy, and securities litigation settlements;

• Managed claims processes for settlement funds ranging up to $1 billion in value.

As part of Analytics’ ongoing class action notice consulting practice, Mr. Simmons has:

• testified regarding the adequacy of notice procedures in direct notice cases (including the

development of class member databases);

• testified regarding the adequacy of published notice plans;

• been appointed as a Distribution Fund Administrator by the Securities and Exchange

Commission tasked with developing Distribution Plans for court approval;

• been retained as an expert by the Federal Trade Commission to testify regarding the

effectiveness of competing notice plans and procedures

In addition to his class action consulting work, Mr. Simmons has taught a college course in

antitrust economics, was a guest lecturer at the University of Minnesota Law School on issues of

statistical and economic analysis, was a charter member of the American Academy of Economic

and Financial Experts, and was a former referee for the Journal of Legal Economics (reviewing

and critiquing peer reviewed articles on the application of economic and statistical analysis to

legal issues). Mr. Simmons is a published author on the subject of damage analysis in Rule 10b-

5 securities litigation.

Mr. Simmons graduated from St. Olaf College with a B.A. in Economics, pursued a PhD. in

Applied Economics (with a concentration on consumer/behavioral economics) at the University

of Minnesota2, and has received formal media planning training from New York University.

In October 2013, Analytics Consulting LLC acquired Analytics Incorporated (d/b/a BMC Group Class Action

Services (“BMC Group”)). I was formerly the President/Managing Director of BMC Group. References to

Analytics herein include the prior legal entities.

Mr. Simmons suspended work on his dissertation to acquire and manage Analytics.


APPLICATION OF TECHNOLOGY TO CLASS ACTION SETTLEMENTS

Mr. Simmons has been a visionary in the application of the Internet to class action notice

campaigns and the management of settlements:

• In 1995, Mr. Simmons was the first in the nation to support class action settlements with

an online presence, that included the ability to check online, the status of their claims.

• In 2000, Mr. Simmons invented online claims submission in class action litigation, filing

a patent application governing “Method and system for assembling databases in multiple-party proceedings” US20010034731 A1.

• In 2002, Mr. Simmons established an online clearinghouse for class action settlements

that provided the public with information regarding class action settlements and provided

them with the ability to register for notification of new settlements. This clearinghouse

received national press attention as a resource for class action settlements.

• From 2003 through 2013, Analytics’ incremental changes in Internet support included

class member verification of eligibility, locater services that identified retail outlets that

sold contaminated products, secure document repositories, and multi-language support.

• In 2014, Mr. Simmons was the first to utilize and testify regarding product based

targeting in an online legal notice campaign

• In 2014, Analytics, under Mr. Simmons’ leadership, released the first class action

settlement support site developed under e-commerce best practices.

SPEAKER/EXPERT PANELIST/PRESENTER

Mr. Simmons has presented to panels of judges and lawyers on issues regarding class notice,

claims processing, and disbursement:

• Mr. Simmons served as a panelist for the Francis McGovern Conferences on

“Distribution of Securities Litigation Settlements: Improving the Process”, at which

regulators, judges, custodians, academics, practitioners and claims administrators

participated.

• In 2011, Mr. Simmons was a panelist at the Federal Judicial Center’s workshop/meetings

regarding class action notice and settlement administration.

• In 2014, Mr. Simmons was invited to be interviewed by the Consumer Financial

Protection Bureau as an expert on notice and claims administration in class action

litigation as part of their study on arbitration and consumer class litigation waivers

• In 2016, Mr. Simmons presented results of research regarding the impact of forms of

notice on fund participation rates to the Federal Trade Commission.

Mr. Simmons’ speaking engagements regarding class notice include:

• Class Action Administration: Data and Technology, presented by Richard Simmons,

Harris Martin Target Data Breach Conference in San Diego (2014);


• Developments in Legal Notice, accredited CLE Program, presented by Richard Simmons

and Christian Clapp at at Susman Godfrey in Dallas (2014)


and Christian Clapp at Shook Hardy & Bacon, LLP in Kansas City (2013),


and Christian Clapp at Halunen & Associates in Minneapolis (2013),

• Class Actions 101: Best Practices and Potential Pitfalls in Providing Class Notice, CLE

Program, presented by Brian Christensen, Gina Intrepido, and Richard Simmons, to the

Kansas Bar Association (March 2009).

Mr. Simmons’ writings regarding class notice include:

• Co-Author with Christian Clapp, Crafting Digital Class Notices That Actually Provide

Notice - Law360.com, New York (March 10, 2016).

JUDICIAL COMMENTS AND LEGAL NOTICE CASES

In evaluating the adequacy and effectiveness of Mr. Simmons’ notice campaigns, courts have

repeatedly recognized Mr. Simmons’ work. The following excerpts provide recent examples of

such judicial approval in matters where the primary issue was the provision of class notice.


F.T.C. v. Minuteman Press Int’l


Frank, Peasley, Waters, and Wilhelm, v Gold’n Plump Poultry, Inc.


Masters v. Lowe’s Home Centers, Inc.


In Re: The Sportsman’s Guide, Inc. Litigation


united states district court district of …...of nichols kaster’s law firm resume is attached...

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