Lawyers in Norfolk Southern Crash Want $162 Million for Work

Attorneys representing those affected by a fiery and toxic train derailment last year in East Palestine, Ohio, are requesting $162 million of the $600 million settlement that Norfolk Southern Corp. agreed to pay in a series of lawsuits.

The litigation that led to the settlement involved more than 35 law firms contributing nearly 60,000 hours, taking 70 depositions, poring over more than one million documents, drafting court filings, and having experts create an environmental sampling and testing program, a memorandum filed late Sept. 6 says. The 27% attorneys’ fees request is within the range of awards that judges on and ...