The Court appointed David Blanchard of the law firm of Blanchard & Walker PLLC as Class Counsel to represent the Class.
Class Counsel will ask the Court for an award for attorneys’ fees up to one-third of the Qualified Settlement Fund ($18,333,333.33), plus reasonable litigation expenses, as well as service awards of $25,000.00 for each Class Representative. Defendant has not objected to any award of attorneys’ fees, costs, and expenses up to those amounts, to the extent they are approved by the Court. This payment for any attorneys’ fees and expenses to Class Counsel and service awards will be made out of the Qualified Settlement Fund. Any such award would compensate Class Counsel for investigating the facts, litigating the case, and negotiating the Settlement and will be the only payment to them for their efforts in achieving this Settlement and for their risk in undertaking this representation on a wholly contingent basis.
Any award for attorneys’ fees and expenses for Class Counsel and any Service Awards must be approved by the Court. The Court may award less than the amount requested. Class Counsel’s papers in support of final approval of the Settlement will be filed no later than February 27, 2025 and their application for attorneys’ fees, costs, and expenses will be filed no later than February 27, 2025 and will be posted on the settlement website.