Paralegal for Sears bankruptcy case billed $174K in one month

No one tops legal adviser Keri Grant for hours logged in Eddie Lampert’s Sears bankruptcy case.

The Weil Gotshal & Manges paralegal billed some $174,000 for November assessing the troubled retailer’s numbers for 431 hours at $405 a hour over the month, according to court documents.

Grant — a real estate closing expert who researches titles, surveys and other documents related to assets — toiled 103 more hours than any partner, associate or support staff at the firm, which is representing the bankrupt retailer.

Weil, Gotshal did not respond to queries about Grant’s hours, but his record speaks for itself.

Grant, who declined to comment, worked Saturdays, Sundays and Thanksgiving and regularly logged 14-plus hour days, including a 19-hour stint on Black Friday and 20 hours on Nov 9.

Last week, Weil Gotshal submitted its second bill for the army of staffers it’s devoting to the bankruptcy.

The first bill of $5 million for 17 days’ work raised eyebrows among experts, who noted the high number of partners who earn as much as $1,600 an hour working on the case. Fees in November totaled $10 million.

“It’s obviously [Grant’s] Herculean effort and illustrates how complex this case is,” said distressed debt expert Adam Stein-Sapir.

It’s not uncommon in such a case to have staff working 24/7, legal experts added, which can jack up the total cost.

But Sears has been short on cash and its creditors have argued the professional fees alone make a strong argument for letting the storied retailer liquidate.

Lampert, who is both the largest shareholder and largest creditor, won an auction to buy Sears for $5.2 billion. A judge will make the final determination on that offer on Feb. 4.