Ellis

Lori J. Sklar represented plaintiffs in a class action against Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc. (Toshiba). Sklar appeals from the trial court’s orders awarding monetary sanctions against her and the court’s order awarding her no attorney fees. Toshiba cross-appeals the order awarding staff fees to Sklar Law Offices. We affirm the order awarding monetary sanctions against Sklar, and affirm in part and reverse in part the order regarding attorney fees.

SUMMARY

In February 2005, Caddell & Chapman, a Texas law firm with experience litigating class actions, and Sklar, a sole practitioner and a member of the California Bar doing business as Sklar Law Offices (SLO) out of her home office in Minnesota, filed a class action against Toshiba, on behalf of a class of purchasers of a Toshiba laptop computer which had an electrostatic discharge problem with the top cover. After a two-day mediation, in November 2005 Sklar and all other counsel signed a settlement term sheet, giving each class member a 12-month repair warranty extension (or, if the class member already had the extended warranty, a $35 credit voucher), and either $25 in cash or a $50 voucher for the repair to…