Opinion ID: 597429
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The Findings as to the Value of Morrissey's Services

Text: 29 The trial court found that the only fee agreement the parties had reached was the written agreement of October 31, 1980; no new fee agreement--contingency or otherwise--had been negotiated with respect to the New York action. The court concluded that Morrissey was therefore entitled to compensation only at a reasonable rate on an hourly basis. 30 As to the value of Morrissey's services, the court noted that prior to October 1980 Morrissey had had no maritime insurance litigation experience; his office during the pertinent time had no litigation library, no Law Journal subscription, and no LEXIS. The court found that his participation in the New York action, like his nonlitigation pressure tactics, was not particularly significant or fruitful. In the New York action, though Morrissey had drafted an affidavit, read some documents, and attended depositions with Healy & Baillie attorneys, Healy & Baillie, not Morrissey, had done the overwhelming share of the legal work, 782 F.Supp. at 903, including conducting all of the legal research, preparing legal opinion letters to Mar Oil, preparing all legal memoranda and all other legal documents dealing with the various motions, taking the depositions of all the witnesses, and obtaining and responding to documentary discovery. The court found Morrissey's contention that he had done  'the lion's share of the legal work'  to be absurd, and concluded that [a]t best, Morrissey merely assisted in communications[,] controlling costs, as a 'middle man[,]' and as a 'strategist.'  Id. Morrissey apparently played no role in the Spain action. 31 Because no hourly rate had been established by the parties' agreement, and because Morrissey did not produce time records, the court sought to make a reasonabl[e] estimate[ ] of his hours and to determine a fair and reasonable rate of compensation. Id. at 911. Finding that Morrissey had spent a total of 1,200 hours in service of Mar Oil and that $200 per hour would be reasonable compensation, the court ruled that Mar Oil was obligated to pay him a total of $240,000 in fees, of which $61,000 had been paid. It concluded that, from the amount wrongfully withdrawn from the Mar Oil escrow account, Morrissey owed Mar Oil $807,675.38. 32 Accordingly, the court directed entry of judgment for Mar Oil in the amount of $807,675.38, together with prejudgment interest dating back to February 2, 1984, in the amount of $530,730.14, and costs. This appeal and cross-appeal followed.