This monograph explains the doctrinal and case-management aspects of fee awards. It analyzes the law of attorneys' fee awards under fee-shifting statutes, the common fund doctrine and its offspring, and the substantial benefit doctrine, and addresses an issue of special significance to bankruptcy courts―the propriety of sua sponte review of fee petitions. It also presents a selection of case-management strategies, based on interviews with judges, attorneys, U.S. trustees, and others.

Superseded by Awarding Attorneys’ Fees and Managing Fee Litigation, Third Edition (2015).