United States Ninth Circuit

In the context of ERISA actions, if fees for work performed by non-attorneys are customarily billed separately in the relevant market, those fees are recoverable as "reasonable attorney-s fees" under 29 U.S.C. section 1132(g)(2)(D). Similarly, if expenses, such as computerized research in a case, are customarily billed separately, they are recoverable as "reasonable attorney-s fees" under the same section.

Appellate Information

• Argued 03/16/2006
• Decided 08/30/2006
• Published 08/30/2006

Judges

• WILLIAM A. FLETCHER, Circuit Judge:, Before:  RYMER, W. FLETCHER, and CLIFTON, Circuit Judges.

Court

• United States Ninth Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellant:
  
• Adam P. Segal and Michael A. Kristof, Schreck Brignone Godfrey, Las Vegas, NV, for the appellants.


• For Appellees:
  
• Gregory E. Smith, Smith & Kotchka, Las Vegas, NV;  Thanh Nguyen, the Rodarti Group, Aliso, Viejo, CA;  Eric A. Stovall, Reno, NV;  Jonathan E. Van Cleave, Irvine, CA, and John P. Carpenter, Lake Mead Constructors, Omaha, NE, for the appellees., Joseph A. Cardella& Thanh Nguyen, the Rodarti Group, Aliso Viejo, CA, and Brent Carson, Winner & Carson, Las Vegas, NV, for the third-party plaintiffs-appellees., Gregory E. Smith, Smith & Kotchka, Las Vegas, NV, and Jonathan E. Van Cleave, Irvine, CA, for the third-party defendants-appellees.