NSHCC judge: more research needed to approve legal fees
Posted Oct 6, 2014 12:32:50 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The case has been adjourned for lawyers representing the alleged abuse victims of a Halifax orphanage who were in court today to prove to a judge they deserve the payout they’re asking for.
Wagners Law Firm helped reach a $34-million settlement for former residents of the Nova Scotia Home for Colored Children earlier this year, and they’re looking to get $6.6-million in legal fees approved.
Justice Arthur LeBlanc is looking for more research into the hours put into the 16-year file.
Former NSHCC resident, Tony Smith, said he wants to see the case come to a close.
“I just hope that he understands our wishes is for this here to continue, so we can start the healing process.”
Lead lawyer, Ray Wagner, said it’s in the judge’s hands now.
“I can’t pre-guess what he’s going to do, he’s obviously got concerns,” he said outside the courtroom this morning. “We’re going to try to allay those concerns.”
Another former resident, Harriet Johnson, said the work the lawyers did for them is worth more than the fee they’re asking to be approved.
“They’re the Harriet Tubmans, and my brothers and sisters and myself, we were the slaves,” she said. “The Wagner law firm freed us from slavery of abuse, and they lead us to freedom.”
The $6.6-million amounts to 19.4 per cent of the overall settlement that was reached earlier this year. Wagner said it is reasonable considering his firm worked on the file since 1998 without guaranteed payment.
