USA: Imperial Pacific International ordered to pay $29K attorneys' fees and costs incurred by seven former workers
“IPI ordered to pay $29K attorneys’ fees, costs to 7 ex-workers”, 7 May 2020
U.S. District Court for the NMI Chief Judge Ramona V. Manglona ordered Imperial Pacific International (CNMI) LLC… to pay a total of $29,459 in attorneys’ fees and costs incurred by the seven former workers who are suing IPI and its contractor and subcontractor.
Manglona ordered IPI to pay the former workers $25,872 for hours expended by their New York-based counsel Aaron Halegua, and $1,782 for hours expended by their local counsel, Bruce Berline.
The judge also ordered IPI to pay the former workers $1,648 for hours expended by the former workers’ paralegal, Jacob Kessler, and $156 in costs…
The seven workers from China, who worked on IPI’s casino construction project in Garapan, have asked the court to award them $31,801 in attorneys’ fees and $156 in costs in connection with their countermotion to compel…
The plaintiffs… are suing IPI, MCC International Saipan Ltd. Co. and MCC’s subcontractor, Gold Mantis Construction Decoration (CNMI) LLC, over the alleged injuries they suffered during accidents at the worksite of IPI’s resort/casino project in Garapan...
The workers alleged, among other things, that they were forced to work long hours for below minimum wage under extremely dangerous conditions at the casino-resort worksite.