A few weeks back I posted a story about the aggrieved Chinese restaurant workers who were underpaid and overworked by their bosses. Many employees from several restaurants throughout the city were victimized and taken advantage of because many were new to this country. Thankfully a judge saw the scenario for what it was and sided with the workers, resulting in a big hit to those restaurant owners.
From The New York Daily News:
Chinatown restaurant workers who claimed their bosses stole their tips and cheated them out of overtime thought they'd scored a major payday when a judge awarded them $700,000 in February.
But their lawyers ended up the bigger winners - tallying $1 million in legal fees, even though they took on the case pro bono.
A judge this week awarded attorneys' fees of as much as $450-an-hour to Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, who argued the case on behalf of waiters, busboys and captains at the 88 Palace Restaurant.
The legal fees were enormous but since the firm pledged to do the case pro-bono, they will keep it that way. All of the legal fees are going to be donated to Asian-American legal ventures in case more of this type of abuse occurs. So while the workers are going to split $700,000 dollars, it is actually more like $1.7 million.
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