9/11 Settlements overturned
July 30, 2008 · Print This Article
As reported by the New York Times, a federal judge has overturned four settlements from 9/11 victims because of an unfair distribution to one law firm in Maryland, Azrael, Gann & Franz.
District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein explained in his ruling that the Franz firm’s request for a 25 percent contingency fee of $28.5 million it had recovered “would reflect a very large windfall,” and that its “entire strategy seems to have been to coast on the work of others.”
As noted by the Times:
Judge Hellerstein noted that the firm claimed it had done “outstanding work” to earn the fee, and had produced higher settlements. The firm also argued that because the settlement proceedings were confidential, “no one will know about a higher fee award,” the judge wrote.
Such, obviously, was not the case, as everyone now knows about the settlements.
Worth noting, the Judge made an exception for Motley Rice, another firm that received 20 percent in three of its cases, because it had done more work, and had prepared those cases for trial. No case went to trial.
There never has been a war yet which, if the facts had been put calmly before the ordinary folk, could not have been prevented … The common man, I think, is the great protection against war.ErnestBevinErnest Bevin, Speech in the House of Commons, November 23, 1945
Check this out. http://www.sfchroniclemarketplace.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2007/10/03/national/a005748D79.DTL
It lists all four of the 9/11 Pentagon ground plaintiffs. Plus, the transcript of Judge H’s order lists the settlements by amount and describes the plaintiffs who got $5.5 mil, $7 mil and both who received $8 mil.
See: (http://www1.nysd.uscourts.gov/docs/rulings/21mc101_order_072408.pdf )
So, now just how does he intend to protect their privacy? Specious at best!
I can understand his point about the law firms 25% contingency fee, but to disapprove awards he’s already approved for the families, all of whom have set up charitable foundations (See http://agflaw.com/Victims.pdf) seems a bit over the top.
To suggest that war can prevent war is a base play on words and a despicable form of warmongering. The objective of any who sincerely believe in peace clearly must be to exhaust every honorable recourse in the effort to save the peace. The world has had ample evidence that war begets only conditions that beget further war.RalphBuncheRalph Bunche, Jimmy Carter’s Nobel Lecture
money be one of them?BenGazzaraBen Gazzara, Saint Jack
In motivating people, you’ve got to engage their minds and their hearts. I motivate people, I hope, by example — and perhaps by excitement, by having productive ideas to make others feel involved.KeithRupertMurdochKeith Rupert Murdoch, media mogul, 1931-
[...] I last blogged on the 9/11 controversy and judge’s ruling to strike settlements HERE. [...]