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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
| IOAN MICULA, et al., Petitioners, v. GOVERNMENT OF ROMANIA, Defendant. | Case No. 17-cv-02332 (APM) |
On November 20, 2020, the court denied Respondent’s Motion for Relief from Judgment Pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 60(b)(5), ECF No. 138, and granted Petitioners’ Motion for a Civil Contempt Order and Sanctions Against Romania, ECF No. 151. See Mem. Op. & Order, ECF No. 159. The court ordered Petitioners to file a separate “bill of fees and costs with the court by December 4, 2020.” Id. at 16. Petitioners did so, and request a total reimbursement of $50,201.90—$48,567.50 for Petitioners Ioan Micula, S.C. European Food S.A., S.C. Starmill S.R.L., and S.C. Multipack S.R.L., and $1,634.40 for Petitioner Viorel Micula. See Pet’rs’ Bill of Costs, ECF No. 162, at 1. Having considered the Bill of Costs, the court hereby awards attorney’s fees and costs as follows:
White & Case: $34,573.60 F.A. Vasquez Consulting: $ 4,280.40 Dentons: $ 1,307.52 Total: $40,161.52
The court’s award reflects a 20% reduction of the fees and costs sought, at the requested hourly rates, to which Romania has made no real objection other than a general assertion of disagreement. See Resp.’s Opp’n to Bill of Fees and Costs, ECF No. 163, at 1. That reduction is
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appropriate due to (1) multiple lawyers within and across firms devoted to similar tasks, (2) ambiguous block billing entries, (3) excessive time for research of comparable cases in this District and the Southern District of New York, and (4) consultation time with clients. As before, the court has taken account of “Romania’s resistance at every turn,” Order, ECF No. 160, which in this instance caused Petitioners to incur unanticipated legal expenses after this court ordered Romania to answer their post-judgment interrogatories.
Dated: November 13, 2024
Signature
Amit P. Mehta
United States District Court Judge