Vague billing entries and mischarging for “non-core legal tasks” were among the reasons a federal judge deducted over $4,000 in attorney fees and costs, according to a federal judge’s recent memorandum and order.
Timothy Burke and Jared Burke of the Law Offices of Timothy M. Burke in Needham, Massachusetts, were awarded $306,929 for attorney fees and costs Friday for their representation of the plaintiff Dante Difronzo, a detective, in a First Amendment retaliation and tortious interference case. Brody Hardoon Perkins & Kesen in Boston represented the defendants, including the city of Somerville’s Mayor Joseph Curtatone, its chief of police, David Fallon, and its police captain, Bernard Cotter. The defendants claimed opposing counsel inflated their hours for legal tasks, including time for work unrelated to litigation, and insufficient descriptions for certain responsibilities.
