The plaintiffs sought court approval for a settlement reached on behalf of minor plaintiffs and for a contingency fee retainer agreement.
The court denied approval of the retainer agreement due to non-compliance with the Solicitors Act and the Contingency Fee Agreements Regulation, citing issues with alternative fee calculation methods and formal deficiencies.
While the gross settlement for minors was deemed reasonable, final approval was withheld pending a compliant retainer agreement or fee-for-service proposal, and evidence regarding the management of minor plaintiffs' settlement funds.
