Opinion ID: 452077
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: fees for in-house counsel

Text: 26 James S. Lanard, who served as Executive Director of DVCCCA from 1978 to 1982, but who is also a member of the bar of this Court, entered his appearance and actively participated in the litigation in cooperation with DVCCCA's outside counsel, lawyers of the Public Interest Law Center of Philadelphia (PILCOP). The Commonwealth has objected to an award of fees to Lanard on the grounds that, because DVCCCA had outside counsel, Lanard was part of the client group. The district court, noting that Lanard entered an appearance in the litigation, that he was, in fact, the only individual working on many aspects of the case, and that he performed a large part of the activity for which compensation is sought, awarded counsel fees for Lanard's work. We will affirm. 27 As an initial matter, we agree with the Commonwealth that in-house counsel is not entitled to a court award of attorneys fees for doing client work, such as furnishing information or documents to outside counsel. However, the record clearly reflects that Lanard's role was in fact that of a lawyer participating in the litigation. Lanard signed pleadings, performed legal research, wrote briefs, prepared for hearings and arguments, participated in proceedings before the district court, and presented oral argument to this Court. 28 The Commonwealth argues that the relevant rule of law is that which holds a pro se litigant ineligible for attorneys fees. See, e.g., Pitts v. Vaughn, 679 F.2d 311 (3d Cir.1982); Cunningham v. FBI, 664 F.2d 383 (3d Cir.1981). In Cunningham, however, we specifically left open the question presented by this case, i.e., whether a litigant represented by salaried in-house counsel may receive attorneys fees. Id. at 385. Moreover, the Commonwealth's position against awarding fees to in-house counsel, in our view, conflicts significantly with the purposes of the citizen suit provisions of the Clean Air Act. A rule against reimbursement of in-house counsel would, by forcing the use of more expensive outside counsel, create a disincentive for any public interest or citizens group contemplating the institution of litigation to benefit the environment. Conversely, a rule in favor of such reimbursement would encourage litigants who seek to enforce the Act. We thus hold that attorneys fees may be awarded for the litigation activity of in-house counsel who has entered an appearance and played an active role in handling the litigation. Accordingly, we will uphold the district court's decision to award fees for the work of Lanard. 29 The Commonwealth also asserts that an award of fees to DVCCCA for some of Lanard's work would give rise to double counting. As we have explained above, however, the district court properly and carefully reviewed any possible duplication of effort, noting that Lanard performed a large part of all the activity for which plaintiff now seeks compensation. The amount of the counsel fee award for Lanard's activities will also be affirmed.