Julian v. Walgreen Co.

Background

Joy Ann Julian sued Walgreen Co. individually and for a proposed class. The order concerns Julian’s separate motion for attorneys’ fees, costs, and a payment for serving as the class representative after a class-action settlement. The court also considered a motion seeking final approval of the settlement, but the provided text primarily states the rulings on fees, costs, and the service payment.

Court’s Findings

The court found that it had jurisdiction over the case, the parties, and the settlement-class members. It found that Class Counsel’s hourly rates were reasonable and consistent with rates charged in the Northern District of California for attorneys with similar qualifications, skills, and experience. It also found that the hours spent on the litigation were reasonable.

The court applied the Ninth Circuit’s 25-percent benchmark for attorneys’ fees and found no reason to depart from it. The order refers to Class Counsel’s lodestar—the calculation based on reasonable hours multiplied by reasonable hourly rates—and states that it exceeded the amount of fees awarded.

Ruling

The order granted in part Plaintiff’s motion for attorneys’ fees, costs, and a class-representative service payment, as modified. It approved:

- $68,750.00 in attorneys’ fees; - $7,697.30 in costs; and - $5,000.00 for Joy Ann Julian as a class-representative service payment.

The court ordered the settlement administrator to hold 10 percent of the attorneys’ fee award, or $6,875.00, until after the post-distribution accounting was filed. The remaining $61,875.00 in fees and all $7,697.30 in costs were to be released within the time frames stated in the settlement agreement for distribution among Class Counsel as necessary. The $5,000 payment to Julian was also to be paid within the settlement agreement’s time frames, through Diversity Law Group, P.C. The provided text does not specify which part of the motion was not granted.