Johnson v. Municipal Employees', Officers' , & Officials' Annuity & Benefit Fund of Chicago

¶ 1 After the Illinois Supreme Court ruled that Illinois Pension Code amendments violated our constitution's pension protection clause, plaintiffs' counsel in one of the consolidated cases petitioned for attorneys' fees. The firm sought over $ 200,000 under the Illinois Civil Rights Act and an additional $ 750,000 from a "common fund." The trial court denied the fee petition in its entirety as impermissible under the Illinois Pension Code. We agree and affirm.

¶ 2 Background

¶ 3 As summarized in Jones v. Municipal Employees' Annuity & Benefit Fund , 2016 IL 119618 , 401 Ill.Dec. 454 , 50 N.E.3d…