Florida Lawyer Should Get $150,000 Sanction, Judge Says (1)

A sanction of $150,000 against a Florida lawyer in a licensing and patent dispute should be imposed, a federal magistrate judge recommended—much less than the $684,000 that had been sought

The defendants’ motion for attorney fees against plaintiff’s counsel Peter Ticktin should be granted, Magistrate Judge Anthony E. Porcelli, of the US District Court for the Middle District of Florida, said Thursday. But the calculus they used to justify the amount requested wasn’t reasonable, including how they determined hourly billing rates for some of their lawyers.

The imposition of a $150,000 sanction is not unduly burdensome on Ticktin, Porcelli said, ...