Opinion ID: 707578
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: explanation of fee award

Text: 9 Because this court has jurisdiction to review Board attorney fee awards, the Board must adequately justify those awards so as to allow for meaningful review. See, e.g., Hobbs v. Director, OWCP, 820 F.2d 1528 (9th Cir.1987) (reviewing Board's decision to reduce attorneys' fees where fees had been augmented to allow for delay of payment); Shipyards v. Director, OWCP, 545 F.2d 1176 (9th Cir.1976) (lump sum attorney fee award which did not disclose which part of fee was awarded to attorney and which part was awarded to nonlawyer representative would have to be remanded to Board). Unlike the Board order at issue in Shipyards, however, the fee award at issue in this matter does make findings; the Board notes that Finnegan's lawyers spent only 6 hours on the Board appeal, and finds that the hourly rate of $175.00 for that amount of work was excessive. Accordingly, this court need not order the Board to further justify its award. 10 The order of the Benefits Review Board is AFFIRMED.