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Faris grants Fund counsels’ request for more time
U.S. District Court for the NMI Bankruptcy Division designated judge Robert J. Faris has granted the request of the NMI Retirement Fund’s counsels for more time to reply to objections raised in their and other counsels’ demand for payment of $844,650.93 in professional services and reimbursement of expenses.
In his order issued Tuesday, Faris only stated that the reply extension motion is granted.
Jeremy B. Coffey, the Fund’s Boston-based lawyer, asked the court to issue an order extending by two business days-until July 23, 2012 (Hawaii time)-the deadline for filing replies to objections to pending fee and expense reimbursement applications that they filed.
Coffey said that Faris, in his memorandum decision dated June 13, 2012, required such applications to be filed by June 29, 2012, with parties in interest to receive notice and at least 14 days within which to object.
Coffey said that, on July 13, 2012, after consultation with the U.S. Trustee and counsel for the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors, the Fund filed its motion seeking to establish notice procedures related to the pending fee applications.
The lawyer said that Faris granted that motion on July 5 and the Fund then transmitted notice of the pending fee applications with an objection deadline of July 19.
Coffey said the hearing on the pending fee applications, if held, is scheduled for July 27.
He said Local Rule provides that replies to objections may be filed not less than seven days prior to a hearing on the matter, in this case on July 20.
Coffey said by this motion, their law firm requests a short extension of until July 23 by which applicants must file replies to objections to fee applications.
Coffey said their law firm believes the extension will allow the applicants to better address any concerns that might be raised in objections and to provide meaningful responses, in advance of any hearing on the fee applications.
Coffey said the Committee’s counsel and the U.S. Trustee indicated they did not object to the extension.
Coffey and his law firm, Brown Rudnick, is demanding payment of $719,293.50 for professional services plus reimbursement of $46,644.32 in expenses, for a total of $765,937.82.
Braddock Huesman, the Fund’s Saipan-based lawyer is demanding $9,201 in attorney’s fees plus reimbursement in the amount of $2,046, for a total of $11,247.
Colin Thompson, the Saipan-based counsel for the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors, is demanding compensation in the amount of $1,960 plus $382.50 in cost expenses for a total of $2,341.50.
Don Jeffrey Gelber, the Hawaii-based counsel for the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors, seeks payment of $65,124.61 in compensation for his and his law firm’s participation in the case.
This brings the attorneys’ fees and expenses to a total of $844,650.93.
The committee’s chairman and members are also demanding reimbursement of over $300 for long-distance telephone charges and postal charges.
By Ferdie de la Torre
Reporter
