Opinion ID: 167996
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: introduction

Text: 1 Plaintiff-Appellee Susan Hollern initiated arbitration proceedings against Defendants-Appellants Wachovia Securities, Inc. and its employee, Randy Russell (collectively Wachovia). Hollern claimed Wachovia was negligent and breached its fiduciary duty in managing the William H. Price, II Trust (Trust), for which Hollern acted as successor trustee. Both parties sought attorneys' fees in their arbitration pleadings and submitted motions requesting attorneys' fees at the conclusion of the arbitration hearing. The arbitrators denied Hollern's claims in their entirety and awarded attorneys' fees to Wachovia. Hollern subsequently sought to have the district court set aside the attorneys' fees' portion of the arbitral award. Concluding the parties did not expressly agree to submit the issue of attorneys' fees to arbitration and the arbitrators misapplied the relevant law, the district court vacated the attorneys' fees' portion of the award. Wachovia appeals. We have jurisdiction pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1291. Because the arbitrators did not exceed their powers or manifestly disregard the law in awarding attorneys' fees, we reverse and remand with instructions to reinstate the attorneys' fees' portion of the arbitration award.