本周,美國(guó)特拉華州的一名法官駁回了馬斯克要求恢復(fù)其千億美元薪酬方案的請(qǐng)求。
同時(shí)法官還做出了另一項(xiàng)裁定。原告方律師成功雄辯地成功證明了馬斯克的薪酬方案違法,因此他們獅子大張口地索要高達(dá)56億美元的律師費(fèi)。這個(gè)要求也被法官駁回了。
不過(guò)法院對(duì)這些律師的態(tài)度比對(duì)馬斯克還是要好一些的。特拉華州大法官凱瑟琳?麥考密克裁定,來(lái)自三家律師事務(wù)所的原告方律師可獲得3.45億美元的現(xiàn)金或特斯拉股票,這比這三家律所要求的56億美元要少了許多。(這三家律所的名字是Bernstein Litowitz Berger & Grossman LLP、Andrews & Springer LLC,和Friedman Oster & Tejtel PLLC。)
其中一家律所Bernstein Litowitz Berger & Grossman在聲明中表示,他們對(duì)法院對(duì)此案的裁定以及對(duì)訴訟費(fèi)的裁定均感到滿意。“我們希望法官這一合理裁定將使困擾特斯拉股東們的這個(gè)問(wèn)題得以了結(jié)。不過(guò),如果被告選擇上訴來(lái)拖延該裁定的執(zhí)行,那么我們希望能繼續(xù)在上訴環(huán)節(jié)中捍衛(wèi)法院的這一合理決定?!?/p>
在談到律師費(fèi)的問(wèn)題時(shí),麥考密克法官表示,三家原告律所的計(jì)算方法是“合理的”。不過(guò)它對(duì)標(biāo)的訴訟標(biāo)的是高達(dá)558億美元的薪酬方案差額,這導(dǎo)致計(jì)算出的律師費(fèi)“是一個(gè)令人瞠目結(jié)舌的數(shù)字”。而特斯拉方面的律師主張的是支付5450萬(wàn)美元的費(fèi)用。
她還表表示:“所以律師費(fèi)必須以這種方式進(jìn)行調(diào)整,因?yàn)闊o(wú)論你用什么方法證明它的合理性,56億美元這個(gè)數(shù)字都太高了?!?/p>
在原告律師費(fèi)的計(jì)算方法時(shí),麥考密克指出,這些律師為此案投入了大量的時(shí)間和精力。律師們的累計(jì)工作時(shí)長(zhǎng)達(dá)到了19499.95小時(shí),包括調(diào)查取證、查閱文件,17次詢問(wèn)證人等等?!霸婷鎸?duì)的是幾家美國(guó)頂尖的律所,他們給原告帶來(lái)了不小的難度。”另外,他們還面臨著“巨大的代理風(fēng)險(xiǎn)”。
麥考密克表示,這筆報(bào)酬相當(dāng)于原告律師們工作小時(shí)數(shù)的25.3倍。
最后,麥考密克在她的個(gè)人意見(jiàn)中寫道:“是原告律師的地位和能力支撐了這筆費(fèi)用。他們是經(jīng)驗(yàn)豐富的股東權(quán)益倡導(dǎo)者,而且他們挽回了本院歷史上數(shù)額最大的幾筆損失,并且通過(guò)庭審和上訴成功處理了一些高風(fēng)險(xiǎn)案件?!保ㄘ?cái)富中文網(wǎng))
譯者:樸成奎
本周,美國(guó)特拉華州的一名法官駁回了馬斯克要求恢復(fù)其千億美元薪酬方案的請(qǐng)求。
同時(shí)法官還做出了另一項(xiàng)裁定。原告方律師成功雄辯地成功證明了馬斯克的薪酬方案違法,因此他們獅子大張口地索要高達(dá)56億美元的律師費(fèi)。這個(gè)要求也被法官駁回了。
不過(guò)法院對(duì)這些律師的態(tài)度比對(duì)馬斯克還是要好一些的。特拉華州大法官凱瑟琳?麥考密克裁定,來(lái)自三家律師事務(wù)所的原告方律師可獲得3.45億美元的現(xiàn)金或特斯拉股票,這比這三家律所要求的56億美元要少了許多。(這三家律所的名字是Bernstein Litowitz Berger & Grossman LLP、Andrews & Springer LLC,和Friedman Oster & Tejtel PLLC。)
其中一家律所Bernstein Litowitz Berger & Grossman在聲明中表示,他們對(duì)法院對(duì)此案的裁定以及對(duì)訴訟費(fèi)的裁定均感到滿意?!拔覀兿Mü龠@一合理裁定將使困擾特斯拉股東們的這個(gè)問(wèn)題得以了結(jié)。不過(guò),如果被告選擇上訴來(lái)拖延該裁定的執(zhí)行,那么我們希望能繼續(xù)在上訴環(huán)節(jié)中捍衛(wèi)法院的這一合理決定?!?/p>
在談到律師費(fèi)的問(wèn)題時(shí),麥考密克法官表示,三家原告律所的計(jì)算方法是“合理的”。不過(guò)它對(duì)標(biāo)的訴訟標(biāo)的是高達(dá)558億美元的薪酬方案差額,這導(dǎo)致計(jì)算出的律師費(fèi)“是一個(gè)令人瞠目結(jié)舌的數(shù)字”。而特斯拉方面的律師主張的是支付5450萬(wàn)美元的費(fèi)用。
她還表表示:“所以律師費(fèi)必須以這種方式進(jìn)行調(diào)整,因?yàn)闊o(wú)論你用什么方法證明它的合理性,56億美元這個(gè)數(shù)字都太高了?!?/p>
在原告律師費(fèi)的計(jì)算方法時(shí),麥考密克指出,這些律師為此案投入了大量的時(shí)間和精力。律師們的累計(jì)工作時(shí)長(zhǎng)達(dá)到了19499.95小時(shí),包括調(diào)查取證、查閱文件,17次詢問(wèn)證人等等?!霸婷鎸?duì)的是幾家美國(guó)頂尖的律所,他們給原告帶來(lái)了不小的難度?!绷硗?,他們還面臨著“巨大的代理風(fēng)險(xiǎn)”。
麥考密克表示,這筆報(bào)酬相當(dāng)于原告律師們工作小時(shí)數(shù)的25.3倍。
最后,麥考密克在她的個(gè)人意見(jiàn)中寫道:“是原告律師的地位和能力支撐了這筆費(fèi)用。他們是經(jīng)驗(yàn)豐富的股東權(quán)益倡導(dǎo)者,而且他們挽回了本院歷史上數(shù)額最大的幾筆損失,并且通過(guò)庭審和上訴成功處理了一些高風(fēng)險(xiǎn)案件。”(財(cái)富中文網(wǎng))
譯者:樸成奎
Elon Musk listens as US President-elect Donald Trump speaks during a House Republicans Conference meeting at the Hyatt Regency on Capitol Hill on November 13, 2024 in Washington, DC.
A Delaware court judge this week denied Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s bid to reinstate his pay package, now valued at $100 billion.
But there was another denial issued: The lawyers who successfully argued that Musk’s pay was illegal and should be rescinded wanted $5.6 billion for their efforts. The judge didn’t quite bite.
However, they fared slightly better than Musk. Delaware Chancellor Kathaleen McCormick awarded plaintiffs attorneys from three law firms $345 million in cash or Tesla shares, down from the $5.6 billion the law firm initially sought for bringing the successful challenge. The three firms include Bernstein Litowitz Berger & Grossman LLP; Andrews & Springer LLC; and Friedman Oster & Tejtel PLLC.
In a statement, Bernstein Litowitz Berger & Grossman said they were pleased with the ruling and the attorneys’ fee resolution. “We hope that the Chancellor’s well-reasoned decision will end this matter for the shareholders of Tesla. However, if defendants choose to further delay implementation of this judgment by appealing it, we look forward to the privilege of defending the Court’s thoughtful and well-grounded opinions on appeal to the Delaware Supreme Court.”
In granting the fee petition in part, McCormick wrote that the methodology used by the firms was “sound.” But applying a percentage of the value achieved in rescission of a $55.8 billion compensation package results in “an eye-popping figure,” McCormick wrote. Lawyers for Tesla had argued for $54.5 million.
“The fee award here must yield in this way, because $5.6 billion is a windfall no matter the methodology used to justify it,” she wrote.
In calculating the fees for the plaintiff’s counsel, McCormick noted that their time and efforts were substantial. Lawyers logged 19,499.95 hours, conducted an investigation, document discovery, and took 17 depositions, among other work. “Plaintiff faced some of the best law firms in the country, who put Plaintiff through their paces,” wrote McCormick. They also faced a “massive contingency risk.”
The reward represents a 25.3 multiplier of the hours the lawyers worked, she wrote.
“Plaintiff’s counsel’s standing and ability support the fee,” McCormick said in her opinion. “They are experienced stockholder advocates who have secured some of the largest recoveries in the court’s history and successfully taken high-stakes cases through trial and appeal.”