Plaintiffs’ lawyers in AT&T class actions win $59 million legal fee award
Reuters2026/10/05 16:55By Mike Scarcella WASHINGTON, Oct 5 (Reuters) - A federal judge has approved $59 million in legal fees for lawyers who negotiated $177 million in class action settlements with AT&T T.N over data breaches in 2024 that exposed the personal information of tens of millions of customers. Here are the details: US District Judge Sidney Fitzwater in Dallas said the settlements were fair and approved them on Friday over objections to the scope of AT&T's payments and the lawyers' fees One group of lawyers, including Houston-based Mark Lanier, were awarded $49.7 million, and a second group will receive $9.3 million Eligible customers can receive up to $2,500 or $5,000 from the settlements The deals faced dozens of objections, including that AT&T's agreement paled in comparison to a $350 million settlement in related data-breach litigation against T-Mobile Some objectors also claimed that AT&T negotiated with the least effective attorneys in order to secure a weak settlement in a so-called reverse auction. The plaintiffs' lawyers have defended the settlement and denied the claim Law firms BakerHostetler and Skadden Arps represented AT&T, which denied any wrongdoing in agreeing to settle. The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment Read more: Rival lawyers clash over fees after $2.8 billion Blue Cross settlement Judge in Google privacy class action awards lawyers $147 million in legal fees Law firm Motley Rice's fee for Meta case in New Mexico could top $67 million (Reporting by Mike Scarcella)
By Mike Scarcella
WASHINGTON, Oct 5 (Reuters) - A federal judge has approved $59 million in legal fees for lawyers who negotiated $177 million in class action settlements with AT&T T.N over data breaches in 2024 that exposed the personal information of tens of millions of customers.
Here are the details:
US District Judge Sidney Fitzwater in Dallas said the settlements were fair and approved them on Friday over objections to the scope of AT&T's payments and the lawyers' fees
One group of lawyers, including Houston-based Mark Lanier, were awarded $49.7 million, and a second group will receive $9.3 million
Eligible customers can receive up to $2,500 or $5,000 from the settlements
The deals faced dozens of objections, including that AT&T's agreement paled in comparison to a $350 million settlement in related data-breach litigation against T-Mobile
Some objectors also claimed that AT&T negotiated with the least effective attorneys in order to secure a weak settlement in a so-called reverse auction. The plaintiffs' lawyers have defended the settlement and denied the claim
Law firms BakerHostetler and Skadden Arps represented AT&T, which denied any wrongdoing in agreeing to settle. The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment
Read more:
Rival lawyers clash over fees after $2.8 billion Blue Cross settlement
Judge in Google privacy class action awards lawyers $147 million in legal fees
Law firm Motley Rice's fee for Meta case in New Mexico could top $67 million
(Reporting by Mike Scarcella)
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