Will the Court Approve It? Attorney’s Fees, Billing Entries, and Fee Hearings (FL) [Webinar] (Watch Live or via OnDemand Streaming)

Agenda

Agenda

Wednesday, October 14, 2026
12:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. Eastern Time

Introduction

• Program overview and roadmap

Establishing Entitlement to Recover Attorney’s Fees

• The American Rule: when each party bears its own fees—and when that rule does not apply
• Key exceptions, including contractual provisions, statutory fee-shifting (including proposals for settlement), sanctions, and voluntary dismissals
• Analyzing entitlement under each of these common scenarios

Calculating a Reasonable Fee: The Lodestar Method

• Understanding Florida’s primary framework for determining reasonable fees
• Applying the formula: reasonable hours × reasonable hourly rate
• Where fee disputes most often arise: hourly rates and time entries

Establishing a Reasonable Hourly Rate

• What factors determine a reasonable hourly rate
• Strategies for supporting—or challenging—the claimed hourly rate
• Can counsel recover a higher hourly rate than the client actually paid?

Proving Reasonable Time Expended

• Why detailed, task-specific billing entries matter
• Common billing mistakes that can reduce or defeat a fee request (block billing, vague entries, administrative tasks, overstaffing, duplication, and more)
• How to challenge time entries: across-the-board percentage reductions versus line-by-line objections
• When compensable time begins and ends: pre-suit work, post-judgment work, and collection efforts

Presenting a Persuasive Fee Petition

• Best practices for presenting your fee request effectively to the court

Practical Takeaways

• Know your audience: what judges look for in fee petitions
• Successful fee petitions demonstrate:
  • Clear, well-organized presentation
  • Specific, detailed billing records
  • Reasonable staffing and efficient use of time
  • Sound billing judgment and professional credibility
• Sample proposed fee order to use as a guide

Date/Time/Location

📅 Live Webinar

Date:

• Wednesday, October 14, 2026

🕐  Time:

12:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. Eastern Time

You’ll receive your login instructions and program materials approximately one week before the seminar. Be sure to check your inbox (and spam folder), and add info@pincusproed.com to your contacts to ensure delivery.

Testimonials

This is a new program, therefore we do not yet have testimonials for this specific program. However, Judge Milena Abreu and Arya Li have spoken many times at our programs, to rave reviews, just a few of which are listed below.

Judge Milena Abreu:

• Judge Abreu provided helpful guidance as to how the Courts are viewing our motions and disputes. Her commentary on the practical guidance discussed was very impactful.
• Judge Abreu provided her professional opinion based on her practice on what is and is not good forms of practice for an attorney. Very helpful.
• Appreciated the candid view from the bench that gave not only the rule but the practical wisdom about taking certain courses of action.
• Very informative and knowledgeable.
• Judge Abreu provided real world information, which is great to hear.
• The content and guidelines she provided in the written materials were excellent.  I plan to share these with our new associates.
• What she provided was beyond what I would have anticipated from a member of the Judiciary based upon past experience.
• I like her enthusiasm and relatable delivery.
• Amazing, thank you!
• Before it started, I thought that having a County Court Judge at a Circuit Court program was going to be disappointing. However, after hearing from her, I was very impressed by Judge Abreu, both by her enthusiasm and the detail and attention she gave the presentation. She was excellent.
• I thought Judge Abreu was very articulate and gave reasoned answers
• Judge Abreu was concise and informative.
• Very clear and informative.
• Good input on various topics from judicial perspective.
• Very informative, direct, and answered questions.
• Great judicial insight.
• I thought it was great to hear from someone on the bench who has a different opinion than litigators.

Arya Attari Li, Esq.:

• I enjoyed how Arya related the information to present day issues.
• Arya gave a strong presentation. I appreciated how Arya gave a lot of practitioner advice as to preparing adequate CRN’s and defending them.
• Knows her material and was very informative.
• Beyond great.
• Excellent, clear, in-depth material presented.
• Very knowledgeable.
• Very engaging and I love her interactions with Mr. Riordan. I think their Q&As between each other were very insightful of both sides of the aisle.
• I really liked how Arya and John complemented each other. Specially from being opposites (Plaintiff vs. Defendant). They were very knowledgeable.
• She seemed extremely knowledgeable. I was grateful for how clear she was, and the case examples were great.
• Great presentation. Wonderful speaker.
• Absolutely incredible! Highly knowledgeable and excellent presentation.

Faculty

Hon. Milena Abreu
Judge
11th Judicial Circuit Court of Florida

Judge Abreu was elected to the bench in August of 2019.   She currently serves in the Hialeah Civil Division wherein she presides over Personal Injury Protection cases, landlord tenant, small claims and Domestic Violence cases. She was also a four time nominee to the Governor’s office for judicial appointment prior to being elected. 

While in practice, Judge Abreu was a licensed trial attorney for over 20 years, handling death penalty and homicide cases. She has tried well over 100 jury trials to verdict and was one of only six women in the entire county certified to try death penalty cases.  Prior to winning the election, Judge Abreu also served as one of the Traffic Hearing Magistrates for the County presiding over civil traffic infractions. She was a Martindale Hubbell AV rated Preeminent attorney proudly serving our South Florida community.

Judge Abreu has served on many voluntary bar organizations and is the former chair of two Florida Bar Ethics Grievance Committees overseeing lawyers professionalism conduct.   

Judge Abreu has dedicated a lifetime to public service both professionally and personally serving her community with fairness, respect and humility. 

Arya Attari Li, Esq.
Assistant Vice President, Insurance and Claims Counsel
Lockton Companies, LLC

Arya Attari Li is an Assistant Vice President, Insurance Claims Counsel with Lockton Companies, LLC. Prior to joining Lockton Companies, LLC, she was a partner at Ploeg & Marino, P.A. Mrs. Li, where she focused her trial practice in the areas of complex insurance coverage and bad faith litigation, representing both policyholders and injured parties. She is admitted to practice before The Florida Bar; the U.S. District Court for the Southern, Middle, and Northern Districts of Florida; and the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals. Mrs. Li is an active member of the American Association for Justice, the Florida Justice Association, the Miami-Dade Trial Lawyers Association, the Dade County Bar Association, the Miami-Dade Chapter of the Florida Association for Women Lawyers, the Miami-Dade Chapter of the Florida Association for Women Lawyers Foundation (serving as a Board Member), Legal Services of Greater Miami (serving as a Board Member), and was a founding board member of the Southeast Chapter of the Iranian American Bar Association. She has been named as a Top Up and Comer Under 40 by the South Florida Legal Guide, On the Rise Honoree by the Daily Business Review, Rising Star by SuperLawyers, 40 Under 40 Outstanding Lawyers in South Florida by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, and as a "Woman on the Rise" by the Dade County Bar Association. Mrs. Li received her B.A. degree from the University of Miami and earned her J.D. degree, cum laude, from the University of Miami School of Law.  

Fees

Fees & Format Options – Live Webinar

🎓 Registration Fees (Per Person)

• $129

📦 Pre-Order the Recording (Attendee-Only Special)

When registering for the live webinar, you can pre-order the Recorded Package (Download or OnDemand) for just $89.

This special rate is only available to registered attendees for their own use.

📩 Program Materials & Access

• A PDF copy of the seminar handbook will be emailed to you a few days before the program.
• We’ll also send your login instructions and any exercises approximately one week prior.
• Please check your spam folder and add info@pincusproed.com to your contacts.

💼 Group Access & Licensing (Live or OnDemand)

Discounted rates are available for 3–4 attorneys from the same organization.

Licenses are also available for firms or agencies with 5+ attorneys who wish to attend live or access the OnDemand recording.

To inquire or purchase group access:
📧 info@pincusproed.com | ☎ (877) 858-3848

⚠️ *Important Notes

• Registration fees are per person, unless a group license is purchased.
• Law Student Rate is for currently enrolled law students only. Please be prepared to provide student ID after registering via email.
• Legal Aid Rate applies only to attorneys employed full-time by legal aid or nonprofit organizations.
  

  It does not apply to private firm attorneys volunteering time, taking pro bono cases, or serving on nonprofit boards.

🎓 Scholarships for Legal Aid Attorneys

Full or partial scholarships may be available for a limited number of legal aid attorneys.

Please contact us to inquire:
📧 info@pincusproed.com | ☎ (877) 858-3848

CLE Credits

🎓 CLE Credit Information

Florida General: This program is approved for 2.0 General CLE Credits and 2.0 Ethics Credits in Florida.

CA General:  This program is approved for 1.25 units of general CLE in California.

NY General: This course is eligible for approval, under New York’s CLE Approved Jurisdiction policy, for 1.25 CLE units. Pincus Professional Education is a CA Accredited Provider, which is a NY approved jurisdiction. See Section 6 of the New York State CLE Board Regulations and Guidelines for further information.

🌎 Other States

CLE credit is officially approved in the states listed above.
If you practice in a different state, we’re happy to help—upon request, we will provide the materials and information you need to apply for CLE credit on your own. Many of our past attendees have successfully obtained credit in other jurisdictions.

To request assistance:
📧 info@pincusproed.com | ☎ (877) 858-3848