McNeelyLaw Win

McNeelyLaw LLP is pleased to announce that it has successfully defended its client in a recent Indiana Court of Appeals case. You can read the Indiana Court of Appeals’ opinion here: https://www.in.gov/judiciary/opinions/pdf/07062001jgb.pdf

On August 5, 2016, a law firm filed a complaint against former Illinois Congressman Aaron Schock and his campaign committee, Schock for Congress. The committee’s former attorney brought a breach of contract claim against Schock and his campaign for unpaid legal fees totaling $159,946.37, plus interest. The trial court ruled in favor of Schock and his campaign, finding that much of the law firm’s billing for Schock was ambiguous and excessive for the nature of the work. For example, Schock and his campaign previously paid $94,262.38 for legal services that the court determined to have a “reasonable value” of $30,000. The law firm appealed this verdict.

The Indiana Court of Appeals affirmed the Vigo Superior Court’s ruling in favor of Schock and the committee. Senior Judge John Baker wrote for the court, “[b]ecause [the campaign] did not have to pay the Law Firm for its work for the other entities and individuals and the bills are so ambiguous that it is impossible to separate that work from the [campaign] work, and because [the campaign] does not have to pay for the problematic work performed by [the law firm], the trial court did not err by determining that the only fees that the Law Firm may recover are those related to the document review and production performed [for the campaign].”

Call us at (317) 825-5110 to discuss your appellate concerns. McNeelyLaw has a team of experienced attorneys ready to guide you through the appellate process to resolve your dispute.

This McNeelyLaw LLP publication should not be construed as legal advice or legal opinion of any specific facts or circumstances. The contents are intended for general informational purposes only, and you are urged to consult your own lawyer on any specific legal questions you may have concerning your situation.