The
plaintiff law firm’s attorneys represented the defendant trusts in a
complicated contract action. In this lawsuit, the plaintiff law firm
successfully sued the defendants for unpaid attorney fees. The law firm did not
retain outside counsel; it was represented by its own shareholders and
associates. The jury awarded the law firm $70,000 in damages. The law firm then
sought case evaluation sanctions, including reasonable attorney fees, under MCR
2.403(O)(6)(b). The circuit judge agreed that the law firm was entitled to
attorney fees even though it was represented by its own attorney-employees; it
then granted the law firm’s motion. Defendants appealed to the Court of
Appeals, which affirmed this part of the trial court’s ruling in a published
opinion. Defendants appealed.
In an
order dated October 1, 2014, the Supreme Court granted leave to appeal the
February 6, 2014 judgment of the Court of Appeals and directed the Clerk to
schedule oral argument on whether to grant the application or take other
action.