Reuters covered HLLI’s objection In re Wawa, Inc. Data Security in which Wawa settled the case for $12.2 million and gave $9 million in gift cards and other compensation to 22 million consumers. A U.S. judge approved $3.2 million in legal fees for consumer lawyers who led the case against Wawa, reinstating an award that a federal appeals court previously saw as potentially unreasonable.
Theodore Frank, director at the Hamilton Lincoln Law Institute and the Center for Class Action Fairness, opposed the first fee award of $3.2 million. His appeal was the centerpiece of the 3rd Circuit’s decision to vacate the award and order a fresh analysis.
Frank on Wednesday told Reuters that “it’s hard for me to imagine a legal way to award that much money given the ratio of fees to class benefit.” He said he was still weighing Pratter’s decision, and did not immediately say whether he would appeal anew to the 3rd Circuit.