Opinion ID: 2314990
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Reasonable Hourly Rate

Text: In fixing the reasonable hourly rate for the services rendered, as measured by prevailing market rates in the relevant community for attorneys of similar experience and skill, Jerry M., supra, 580 A.2d at 1281; Copeland, supra note 8, 205 U.S.App.D.C. at 106, 641 F.2d at 892, the RHC reduced the claimed rate for counsel's work from $125 to $100. It reasoned that the Association provided insufficient information to document its hourly rate request. [17] Thus, the RHC resorted to the Equal Access to Justice Act, 28 U.S.C. § 2412 (1988), which we have noted is closely related to our RHC fee-authorization statute, D.C.Code § 45-2592, see Hampton I, supra, 573 A.2d at 12, and which provides for a rate of $75 an hour, subject to a cost of living adjustment to be determined by the court. The RHC made such an adjustment and determined the proper rate here to be $100 per hour. [18] The RHC had before it only the Association counsel's affidavit, which simply states that he performed the legal services, plus a resume containing no references to clients or fees, two letters of recommendation from former associates and one letter from a former client ... which states that the client paid a fee of $125.00 per hour. We perceive no abuse of the broad discretion afforded to the agency to require documentation in addition to the single letter from a prior client and the affidavits from colleagues. See Concerned Vets., supra note 8, 219 U.S.App.D.C. at 100-101, 675 F.2d at 1325-26. Accordingly, the award by the RHC of $5,125 for services rendered by the Association's counsel at the agency level in this litigation [19] must be Affirmed.