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Attorneys in NCAA Antitrust Case Awarded $475M in Fees

By  |  June 8, 2025

Attorneys representing hundreds of thousands of college athletes in the high-profile antitrust case against the NCAA have been awarded legal fees exceeding $475 million—with the possibility that the total could surpass $725 million over the next decade.

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    According to the Toronto Star, the legal team leading the House v. NCAA case received court approval late Friday for a $475.2 million fee request. This figure, which amounts to 18.3% of the $2.596 billion cash common fund established by the settlement, reflects the extensive time and resources devoted to the case over more than four years.

    The class-action lawsuit, initially filed in June 2020, reached a pivotal milestone in November 2023 when U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken granted class certification. This move indicated that the court found sufficient grounds for the case to proceed on behalf of a broad group of affected student-athletes.

    Legal experts told the Toronto Star that such certification is notoriously difficult to obtain—especially in antitrust cases with wide-reaching implications. Elon University law professor Catherine Dunham emphasized the stakes involved for firms who pursue complex, high-risk litigation. “If the case doesn’t certify as a class, they won’t get paid,” she noted, highlighting the financial gamble involved.

    Related: DOJ Weighs in on NCAA Eligibility Lawsuit, Citing Antitrust Concerns

    The lead law firms involved—Hagens Berman and Winston & Strawn—detailed the immense workload undertaken. According to court filings reviewed by the Toronto Star, Hagens Berman logged nearly 34,000 staff hours through December 2024. Co-lead counsel Steve Berman personally contributed 1,116.5 hours at a billing rate of $1,350 per hour, while Jeffrey Kessler of Winston & Strawn recorded 1,624 hours at a rate of $1,980 per hour.

    The case stands out not only for its scale but also for its timing in a legal environment increasingly skeptical of class actions. Since the enactment of the U.S. Class Action Fairness Act in 2005, federal courts have become more restrictive in allowing such cases to advance—a trend that underscores the rarity and significance of this legal victory.

    With approval now granted, the attorneys’ compensation reflects both the scale of the case and the landmark implications it holds for the future of collegiate athletics. The final amount could grow substantially as the terms of the agreement unfold over the next ten years.

    Source: The Star