A frequent matter requiring resolution before Florida’s state and federal courts involves the issue of attorney’s fees.
Florida law contains numerous statutes providing what is known as a “fee-shifting” provision. A party prevailing in a lawsuit may be entitled to recovery of fees from the opposing party. Attorney Nicholas Shannin has presented seminars on attorney’s fees to fellow Florida Bar members on several occasions, as well as written articles concerning matters related to the recovery of attorney’s fees. Hisknowledge regarding the potential to recover attorney’s fees will be put to use for all applicable cases for clients, other lawyers, and co-counsel of the Shannin Law Firm, P.A.
Moreover, the recovery of attorney’s fees is traditionally contingent upon the provision of expert testimony as to whether the attorney’s fee sought is reasonable and appropriate. Examples of fee issues opined upon include the law firm’s hourly rate, the number of hours expended, and the necessity for representation of the litigant. Fees include those of the attorneys, their associates, and paralegals. Attorney fee expert witnesses may provide reports regarding bill auditing and professional fee analysis, among other items.
Attorney Nicholas Shannin has an Impressive Record of Success.
Mr. Shannin is a Florida Bar Board Certified appellate attorney. He is available to serve as a fee expert for all appellate and trial court matters. He has done so in more than a dozen different state and federal jurisdictions. He has an impressive record of success and welcomes referrals from his peers. Lawyers, courts, and arbitrators have widely recognized Mr. Shannin’s expertise, including a federal judge who directly cited his testimony as a fee expert. The judge stated that “[t]he Court agrees with Mr. Shannin’s assessment and concludes that the hourly rates for the attorney are reasonable….” B-K Cypress Log Houses, Inc. v. Auto-Owners Ins. Co., 2011 WL 6151507, *2 (N.D. Fla., Nov. 2011).
Mr. Shannin’s fee expertise also encompasses work as a litigator advocating for or against attorney’s fee awards. As an attorney representing the City of Sarasota, Mr. Shannin successfully argued against high fees being charged the City as a result of complex construction litigation. AECOM Tech. Servs. v. City of Sarasota, 313 So. 3d 91 (Fla. 2d DCA 2020). Mr. Shannin also won a reversal of a trial court’s fee award that reduced both the hourly rate and number of hours charged by trial counsel. Lizardi v. Federated Nat’l Ins. Co., 322 So. 3d 184 (Fla. 2d DCA 2021).
Mr. Shannin is one of Florida’s leading attorney fee experts. He also offers both litigation services and expert consultancy services for civil trials and appellate matters for clients, co-counsel, and lawyers. He has received countless awards and recognitions from his peers for his abilities and ethics. Please contact the Shannin Law Firm, P.A., to discuss your attorney fee-related concerns and litigation.
COUNTIES WITH LIVE COURT APPEARANCES AS AN EXPERT:
- Orange
- Osceola
- Seminole
- Alachua
- Brevard
- Citrus
- Escambia
- Lake
- Hernando
- Pinellas
- Polk
- Sarasota
- Volusia
REPRESENTATIVE CASES:
Lizardi v. Federated National Insurance Co. (Fla. 2d DCA 2021) (Reversing trial court’s reduction in hours and hourly rate of attorney’s fees awarded to homeowners in an underlying homeowners’ insurance dispute).