Judge: Stephen I. Goorvitch, Case: 22STCP03332, Date: 2023-03-13 Tentative Ruling

Case Number: 22STCP03332    Hearing Date: March 13, 2023    Dept: 39

Porch.com, Inc., et al. v. Kandela, LLC

Case No. 22STCP03332

Motion for Attorney’s Fees

            Petitioners Porch.com, Inc. and Matthew Ehrlichman (“Petitioners”) seeks $93,875.50 in attorney’s fees from Respondent Kandela, LLC (“Respondent”).  There is an attorney’s fees provision in the parties’ contract.  Moreover, Petitioners are entitled to recover in connection with proceedings to enforce its arbitration award.  (See Code Civ. Proc,. § 1293.2; Austin v. Allstate Ins. Co. (1993) 16 Cal.App.4th 1812, 1815-1816.)  Respondent filed no opposition to this motion. 

            Petitioners billed a total of $89,195.50.  The Court has reviewed the hours and billing rates and finds all to be reasonable.  Petitioners seek another $4,680 in connection with the upcoming hearing.  However, no opposition was filed, and the Court does not anticipate that Petitioners’ counsel will need to spend much, if any, time preparing for and attending the hearing.  Therefore, the Court authorizes another hour at a billing rate of $285.

            Based upon the foregoing, the Court orders as follows:

1.                  Petitioners’ motion for attorney’s fees is granted.

2.                  Respondent shall pay Petitioners’ counsel a total of $89,480.50 within thirty (30) days.

3.                  Petitioners’ counsel shall provide notice and file proof of such with the Court.