ERDC Legal Fees

Members have asked about fees for our legal team. The facts are the following:

From the beginning our lawyer Mireille Goulet had a contract giving her
25 per cent of an eventual settlement. The Fonds d’aide aux recours
collectifs (a Quebec government agency which provides seed money for
class actions) has advanced funds over the years, money that must be
returned when a settlement is reached.

After single-handedly winning class action authorization from Quebec
Superior Court last year (a really great feat: she was up against a team
of the biggest law firms in Canada), Me Goulet sought additional help for
the next steps.

The ERDC executive committee agreed to this last June, and Me Goulet
interviewed several possible legal teams. The class action specialists
Sylvestre, Fafard, Painchaud have agreed to come on board: the
extra-judicial fees due the firm and Me Goulet remain at 25 per cent as
before (plus taxes and reimbursement for disbursements), unless the
case goes to appeal; when the percentage rises to 30 per cent. If the
case goes to the Supreme Court, the percentage will be 33 per cent.
Please note that all plans for compensating freelance writers when the
case is settled must be approved by the courts.

Mary

Jack

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