Beatty v. NP CORP.

For six years, 2 during which it sent progress bills aggregating $132,173.59, 3 which the client paid, Sullivan & Worcester, a law firm, computed its bills on the basis of time charges and disbursements. The case on which the work billed was done involved a dispute with the Commonwealth over excise taxes. Ultimately, the law firm achieved a highly successful result for its client and billed a “premium” fee of an additional $721,888. The question is whether, on this record, the law firm was free to render a “premium” bill. A judge of the Superior Court, acting on a motion for summary judgment,…