Not that I have anything against attorneys, but this story kind of amazes me.

In Milwaukee, the stadium district sued Mitsubishi over the retractable roof at Miller Park. Mitsubishi countersued, and now three years later a deal has been reached. Total legal costs? $44,950,000.

That’s a lot of peanuts and Cracker Jacks.

Interestingly enough, the insurance company for the stadium district is disputing some of the charges:

“Some of the billing entries that have been disclosed are so outrageous they leave no doubt that the bills were never reviewed carefully, even by the firms submitting them,” wrote Katherine Stadler, a Travelers attorney. “A charge specifically labeled ‘do not charge client,’ time billed to bring the lawyers lunch, a $5,000 charge for one hour of expert work, and a bill for purchases at a Japanese souvenir shop are only a few examples.”

Of course, the lawyers are defending the cost, including one John Hinderacker.

John Hinderaker, a Minneapolis attorney who helped defend the stadium district, said the “district bought a completely successful defense of an $87 million claim.”

Hinderaker, of course, also blogs at PowerLine. No word on how much of the almost $18,000,000 in attorneys fees he’ll get. But something tells me Powerline might be able to afford to lose that ^&@* pop-up ad for a while.

story found via Overlawyered.