Nebieridze v. Relo, LLC
- Stewart Aaron
- 1:23-cv-04956
- U.S. District Court · Southern District of New York
- 3
Nebieridze v. Relo, LLC: Judge Aaron approved the wage-law settlement, fees, and costs, and dismissed the action with prejudice.
The plaintiffs, Shalva Nebieridze and Levan Janikashvili, and the defendants, Relo, LLC d/b/a Relo Moving & Storage and Ariel Bornstein, are affected by the approved settlement and dismissal of the action.
What happened
In Nebieridze v. Relo, LLC, the parties reached a settlement of claims under the Fair Labor Standards Act, a federal wage law. The plaintiffs asked the court to approve the agreement after the court required an explanation of why it was fair and reasonable.
The court found the settlement fair and reasonable in light of the claims, the risks, and the expense of further litigation. It also approved $6,374 in attorney fees and $878 in costs, finding that the fees matched the plaintiffs’ contingency agreements and that the costs were reasonable.
Judge Stewart D. Aaron approved the settlement and dismissed the action with prejudice and without costs except as provided in the settlement agreement. The clerk was asked to close the case, but the case may be reopened if the settlement’s first required installment is not paid.
The detailed version
- Nebieridze v. Relo, LLC · No. 1:23-cv-04956
- Stewart Aaron
- June 12, 2025
Background
Shalva Nebieridze and Levan Janikashvili brought claims under the Fair Labor Standards Act against Relo, LLC, doing business as Relo Moving & Storage, and Ariel Bornstein. The parties reached a settlement on April 30, 2025, and later consented to have all proceedings handled by Magistrate Judge Stewart D. Aaron.
The court had ordered the plaintiffs to submit the settlement agreement and explain why the agreement, including attorney fees and costs, was fair, reasonable, and adequate. The plaintiffs filed the required motion, proposed settlement agreement, related papers, and copies of their retainer agreements.
Settlement Review
The court reviewed the proposed settlement under the standards requiring judicial review of Fair Labor Standards Act settlements. It found the agreement fair and reasonable based on the nature and scope of the plaintiffs’ claims, the risks of continued litigation, and the expenses of further proceedings. The court also found no concerns involving overbroad releases or restrictive confidentiality provisions.
Attorney Fees and Costs
The plaintiffs requested $6,374 in attorney fees, described as one-third of the settlement amount after costs, under contingency-fee agreements. The court found the contingency-fee agreements reasonable and the requested fees consistent with those agreements. It therefore approved the requested attorney fees.
The plaintiffs also requested $878 in costs: $402 in filing fees and $476 in service-of-process costs. The court found those costs reasonable and approved them.
Disposition
The court approved the settlement. It dismissed the action with prejudice and without costs except as provided in the settlement agreement. The clerk was asked to close the case, with the possibility of reopening if the first installment required by paragraph 1(a)(i) of the settlement agreement is not made.
Classification
This is a procedural order because the court approved a settlement and resolved related fees and costs without deciding the underlying Fair Labor Standards Act claims on their merits.
Read the full 3-page opinion on CourtListener, the free public archive maintained by the Free Law Project.