Microsoft is objecting to the size of legal bills submitted by lawyers who brought an anti-trust case in California against the software giant.
Microsoft told a California court that consumers could suffer if it has to pay the full $258m (£146.7m) bill. The legal costs are part of Microsoft's settlement for over-charging consumers buying its software in California. "I wouldn't have put it in if I didn't think we earned it," said Eugene Crew, the lead attorney against Microsoft. "Somebody ends up paying for this," said Microsoft attorney Robert Rosenfeld. "These large fee awards get passed on to consumers."
Proud
Microsoft made its objections to the judge in San Francisco Superior County Court. It eventually settled the 5-year old class action law suit by agreeing to a system of compensation vouchers for 13 million California consumers. The value of any unclaimed vouchers was to be paid to California state schools. Mr Crew has billed Microsoft just over $3,000 an hour for his own work, as well as more than $2,000 an hour for other lawyers on his team.
"I'm proud of what we did. I am certainly not ashamed of it, and I believe that we deserve it," Mr Crew told ABC News. He argued that the lawyers took a big risk to sue Microsoft with no guarantee of reward. The scale of Microsoft's recent legal settlements has eaten into its profits recently. It blamed legal costs for the 38% drop in profits for the three months to March 2004, to $1.32bn.
News source: BBC News
Microsoft told a California court that consumers could suffer if it has to pay the full $258m (£146.7m) bill. The legal costs are part of Microsoft's settlement for over-charging consumers buying its software in California. "I wouldn't have put it in if I didn't think we earned it," said Eugene Crew, the lead attorney against Microsoft. "Somebody ends up paying for this," said Microsoft attorney Robert Rosenfeld. "These large fee awards get passed on to consumers."
Proud
Microsoft made its objections to the judge in San Francisco Superior County Court. It eventually settled the 5-year old class action law suit by agreeing to a system of compensation vouchers for 13 million California consumers. The value of any unclaimed vouchers was to be paid to California state schools. Mr Crew has billed Microsoft just over $3,000 an hour for his own work, as well as more than $2,000 an hour for other lawyers on his team.
"I'm proud of what we did. I am certainly not ashamed of it, and I believe that we deserve it," Mr Crew told ABC News. He argued that the lawyers took a big risk to sue Microsoft with no guarantee of reward. The scale of Microsoft's recent legal settlements has eaten into its profits recently. It blamed legal costs for the 38% drop in profits for the three months to March 2004, to $1.32bn.
News source: BBC News
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guess if it hits you a bit you wont be doing the bs again
STV
Somebody here is smoking some funny cigars. You seriously can't mean this? Thats the biggest BS posted here.
Oh let me guess, you are getting your Microsoft for basically nothing from your University, thats why you have this weird idea that its cheap.
which will be very hard to prove.
and when Microsoft gets angry Mr. Gates gets upset. And when Mr. Gates gets upset, people DIE!
had a good laugh, thanks Skyfrog
STV
sue for overcharging--->lawyers overcharge---->microsoft forced to overcharge-->
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Microsoft will not win at all with the Judge on this. They have already been ruled, and their punishment is the fine, unless of course Bill would like to be locked up for a while.
Its about time someone sticks up for the consumer and defeats companies that overcharge. Microsoft will not learn unless they are punished. I'd like to see them raise the price then they can be sued all over again.
Cant the bloody americans just stop sueing and leave microsoft alone? They havent done anything wrong
(Of course, I jest. Some of my good friends aren't human.)
So if you dont take a risk, you should be paid less for your services? Law is not a lottery. Asshat.
Well they certainly shouldn't be, with microsoft's $50 billion in cash reserves. One of the reasons? Oh thats right, legal fees.
try putting yourself in microsoft's position.
maybe they will learn next time they do something stupid!
$3,000 per hour
One's a scum sucking bottom dweller and the other ones a fish!
If Microsoft hired those lawyers then Microsoft should pay the money, but it's the opposing side's lawyers who want money for the sueing MS. Now that's messed up, ****ing retarded lawyers.
And those of you who say MS diserves it, well come on now, since when must a person run their prices by their consumers? You can charge whatever you want to charge, how can you put a price on intellectual property. Ever try to build an OS? It's damn hard.
Why chastise MS cause they make a product and sell it?
Um... lawyers are the problems for all the injustice. An old lady in Canada was sued by a burglar who injured himself when he slipped on her sidewalk during the winter on the way out of her house with the TV. He sued, and won, now tell me theres justice in that. In America a theif busted into a house through a skylight, fell onto the bench and cut himself on a kitchen knife that was on the bench, sued and won. There is no justice anymore. Kill me now, please.
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