Boston Attorneys Awarded $306,929 for Representing Detective in First Amendment Retaliation Case

A recent case concluded with Boston-area attorneys Timothy Burke and Jared Burke receiving $306,929 in attorney fees and costs for representing Dante Difronzo, a detective, in a First Amendment retaliation and tortious interference lawsuit. The ruling was based on the plaintiff’s claims against officials from the city of Somerville, Massachusetts, including Mayor Joseph Curtatone, Police Chief David Fallon, and Captain Bernard Cotter. The defendants contended that the attorneys inflated their billed hours and provided vague descriptions of some tasks. Despite these claims, the court awarded nearly the full amount requested but deducted over $4,000 for non-core legal tasks and vague billing entries, referencing a federal judge’s memorandum and order found here. Significant cutoff amounts included $2,000 for expenses not supported under statutory provisions and over $1,330 related to fee-petition work, drawing on precedent from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit case, Brewster v. Dukakis. For further details on this matter, visit the complete coverage provided by Law.com.