As lawyers, we all want our work to be regarded as “out of this world” – but just not in this way. According to this article, South Gate Chases Legal Firms, LA Times (1/23/05), a Los Angeles Superior Court judge, ruling that the law firm of Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton had overcharged its municipal client, described the firm’s fees as:
were more than excessive and unreasonable, transcending beyond the stratosphere into deep outer space,” Shook wrote in his opinion.
The city had already paid $551,837 to defend Robles, its former treasurer
and the firm was seeking $445,087 more that it said it was due. But the judge found that the city
should not have been charged more than $150,000 for the defense of Robles.
In October, another judge ruled that Sheppard had to repay the city $517,000 in legal fees related to defending Robles in a separate criminal investigation.
SHEPPARD, MULLIN ET AL. IN “DEEP OUTER SPACE,” SAYS JUDGE