Case Name: William J. O'Neil, Respondent, v. Brooklyn Savings Bank, Appellant
Court: New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division
Jurisdiction: New York
Decision Date: 1943-12-21
Citations: 267 A.D. 317
Docket Number: 
Parties: William J. O’Neil, Respondent, v. Brooklyn Savings Bank, Appellant.
Judges: 
Reporter: Appellate Division Reports
Volume: 267
Pages: 317–325

Head Matter:
William J. O’Neil, Respondent, v. Brooklyn Savings Bank, Appellant.
First Department,
December 21, 1943.
Sedgwick Snedeker of counsel (Snedeker <& Snedeker, attorneys), for appellant.
Max R. Simon for respondent. .
Robert R. Bruce of counsel (John J. Boyle with him on the brief; McLanahcm, Merritt & Ingraham, attorneys), for Realty Advisory Board on Labor Relations, Incorporated, as amicus curiae.
Joseph V. Lane, Jr., of counsel (Vincent Keane with him on the brief; Louis W. Dawson, attorney), for Mutual Life Insurance Company of New York, amicus curiae.

Opinion:
Per Curiam.
We appreciate that the result of our decision may seem harsh. The harshness, however, is inherent in the legislation and in the decisions which have construed it. As was said in Rigopoulos v. Kervan (140 F. 2d 506): " We see no escape from the statutory language."
Under the circumstances of this case, however, especially in view of the small amount involved and that costs will be awarded to the plaintiff, we think a counsel fee of $100 for services heretofore rendered, in addition to a counsel fee of $50 for services rendered on this appeal, is fair and reasonable. The determination of the Appellate Term and the judgment entered thereon should be modified accordingly and, as so modified, affirmed, with costs of this appeal to the respondent.