Christensen

Background

Christensen, Appeal No. 07-70247

On February 12, 2004, with an appeal still pending, Peti- tioner Bruce W. Christensen’s attorney, Charles Robinowitz, CHRISTENSEN v. STEVEDORING SERVICES 2399 filed an affidavit of attorney’s fees—for work done on the fee appeal to the BRB only—requesting an hourly rate of $250 per hour for his services. The BRB awarded Robinowitz his requested hourly rate.

Thereafter, on April 13, 2006, Robinowitz filed an “Amended Affidavit of Attorney Fees,” requesting an increased rate of $350 per hour. On July 25, 2006, the BRB issued an order, stating that “an hourly rate of $250 remains appropriate in this geographic region and adequately compen- sates counsel for the delay in payment of the previously awarded attorney’s fee.”

Robinowitz then filed a Motion for Reconsideration, to which he attached a copy of the Morones Survey of 2004 showing the average hourly rates at that time for commercial litigation attorneys in Portland, Oregon; a copy of the Laffey Matrix,1 which supported an hourly rate in the range of $405 to $425 per hour; and copies of federal personnel pay rates for Washington, D.C., and Portland, Oregon, to aid…