EI Vice President Laura A. Malowane Helps The Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia Determine an Appropriate Measure for the Awarding of Attorney Fees.

Plaintiff Dick Anthony Heller, who had prevailed in his suit challenging the constitutionality of the District of Columbia’s ban on handgun possession, sought to receive an award for attorney fees from the District.  EI Vice President Laura A. Malowane submitted a declaration on behalf of the defendant which stated that the long-established Laffey Matrix was an appropriate tool to use for determining attorney fees in the matter.  In rejecting the plaintiff’s request for use of an alternative fees matrix, the court accepted the Laffey Matrix and cited Dr. Malowane’s testimony that law firm size is an important factor to consider when evaluating evidence of prevailing market rates of attorneys.