[sheet: Summary]

[sheet: Summary]
Field | Value
Firm | Calderwood & Harkness LLP
Firm Address | 200 Park Avenue, 38th Floor, New York, NY 10166
Prepared By | Linda Osei, Billing Partner, Litigation (General)
Recipient | Tobias Wren, General Counsel, Stonefield Logistics Group Inc.
Client Address | 4200 Commerce Parkway, Suite 800, Fort Worth, TX 76102
Date | April 14, 2023
Matter No. | 1012-00005
Matter Description | Defense of Vantor Holdings Corp. v. Stonefield Logistics Group Inc., Case No. 22-cv-07841 (S.D.N.Y.)
Client | Stonefield Logistics Group Inc.
Responsible Partner | Samuel Eklund
Billing Partner | Linda Osei
Billing Period | January 1, 2023 – March 31, 2023
Billing Arrangement | Standard Hourly; 10% courtesy discount on associate rates (Ridgeline Capital Partners portfolio)
Payment Terms | Net 30 days
Total Professional Fees | $612,400.00
Total Costs & Disbursements | $78,340.00
Total Amount Due This Quarter | $690,740.00
Prior Quarter Fees (Q4 2022) | $487,250.00
Prior Quarter Disbursements (Q4 2022) | $42,180.00
Prior Quarter Total (Q4 2022) | $529,430.00
Cumulative Fees to Date (Sep 2022 – Mar 2023) | $1,099,650.00
Cumulative Disbursements to Date | $120,520.00
Cumulative Total to Date | $1,220,170.00
[sheet: Fee Detail]
Timekeeper | Title / Role | Standard Rate ($/hr) | Discount (%) | Effective Rate ($/hr) | Jan 2023 Hours | Jan 2023 Fees | Feb 2023 Hours | Feb 2023 Fees | Mar 2023 Hours | Mar 2023 Fees | Q1 Total Hours | Q1 Total Fees
Samuel Eklund | Responsible Partner | $1,275.00 | 0% | $1,275.00 | 18.5 | $23,587.50 | 22.0 | $28,050.00 | 15.5 | $19,762.50 | 56.0 | $71,400.00
Linda Osei | Billing Partner | $1,175.00 | 0% | $1,175.00 | 4.0 | $4,700.00 | 3.5 | $4,112.50 | 5.0 | $5,875.00 | 12.5 | $14,687.50
Patrick Gallagher | Lead Associate | $825.00 | 10% | $742.50 | 62.0 | $46,035.00 | 68.5 | $50,862.75 | 72.0 | $53,460.00 | 202.5 | $150,357.75
Simone Laroche | Working Associate | $650.00 | 10% | $585.00 | 55.0 | $32,175.00 | 60.0 | $35,100.00 | 65.5 | $38,317.50 | 180.5 | $105,592.50
Helen Tsao | Senior Paralegal | $375.00 | 0% | $375.00 | 42.0 | $15,750.00 | 45.0 | $16,875.00 | 48.0 | $18,000.00 | 135.0 | $50,625.00
Kara Nystrom | Contract Associate | $425.00 | 10% | $382.50 | 52.0 | $19,890.00 | 58.0 | $22,185.00 | 62.0 | $23,715.00 | 172.0 | $65,790.00
David Moretti | Litigation Support / eDiscovery Manager | $375.00 | 0% | $375.00 | 38.0 | $14,250.00 | 48.0 | $18,000.00 | 55.0 | $20,625.00 | 141.0 | $52,875.00
SUBTOTAL — Partners | 22.5 | $28,287.50 | 25.5 | $32,162.50 | 20.5 | $25,637.50 | 68.5 | $86,087.50
SUBTOTAL — Associates (Discounted) | 169.0 | $98,100.00 | 186.5 | $108,147.75 | 199.5 | $115,492.50 | 555.0 | $321,740.25
SUBTOTAL — Paralegal & Lit Support | 80.0 | $30,000.00 | 93.0 | $34,875.00 | 103.0 | $38,625.00 | 276.0 | $103,500.00
Prior Period Adjustment | $1,072.25
GRAND TOTAL FEES | 271.5 | $156,387.50 | 305.0 | $175,185.25 | 323.0 | $179,755.00 | 899.5 | $612,400.00
[sheet: Task Summary]
Task Code | Task Description | Q1 2023 Hours | Q1 2023 Fees | % of Total Fees | Cumulative Hours (Sep 2022 – Mar 2023) | Cumulative Fees (Sep 2022 – Mar 2023) | Budget Estimate Range | Notes
PLG | Pleadings & Motions Practice | 145.0 | $108,250.00 | 17.7% | 412.0 | $312,500.00 | $350,000–$525,000 | Answer, Affirmative Defenses, and Counterclaim filed Jan 13, 2023; Vantor's Answer to Counterclaim received Jan 27, 2023
DSC | Written discovery — Propounding & Responding | 310.0 | $213,800.00 | 34.9% | 365.0 | $248,400.00 | $600,000–$900,000 | First Interrogatories, First RFP, and First RFA served Mar 6; responses to Vantor's discovery requests prepared; document collection ramping up
DOC | Document Review & Production | 285.0 | $178,350.00 | 29.1% | 310.0 | $192,650.00 | $500,000–$800,000 | Pinnacle Forensics processing underway (Project ID: PF-SLG-2022-0914); first-pass review using TAR 2.0; privilege review and log preparation; production scheduled for Apr 14
DEP | Depositions | 0.0 | $0.00 | 0.0% | 0.0 | $0.00 | $350,000–$500,000 | No depositions taken this quarter; scheduling anticipated for Q2–Q3 2023
EXP | Expert Engagement & Analysis | 42.0 | $34,500.00 | 5.6% | 78.0 | $62,800.00 | $175,000–$275,000 | Kensington Analytics Group retained Oct 2022; scope memo delivered Nov 14, 2022; initial analysis and data requests ongoing
STR | Case Strategy & Legal Research | 85.0 | $58,200.00 | 9.5% | 245.0 | $195,500.00 | $200,000–$325,000 | Research memos on material breach standard, adequacy of cure notice, substantial cure doctrine, mitigation obligations, first-to-breach doctrine, standing issues, duplicative damages
ADM | Case Administration & Client Reporting | 32.5 | $19,300.00 | 3.2% | 68.0 | $37,800.00 | $75,000–$125,000 | Monthly status reports; Initial Pretrial Conference Feb 10; Joint Case Management Plan filed Feb 7; CMO entered Feb 17; lender notification updates to Lakeshore National Bank
TOTAL | 899.5 | $612,400.00 | 100.0% | 1478.0 | $1,099,650.00 | $3,500,000–$5,200,000
[sheet: Disbursements]
Date | Category | Vendor / Description | Amount | Notes
Jan 2023 | eDiscovery — Hosting & Processing | Pinnacle Forensics LLC — Monthly hosting fee (Jan), data processing charges, TAR model training | $18,450.00 | Project ID: PF-SLG-2022-0914; 186,000 pages processed to date
Feb 2023 | eDiscovery — Hosting & Processing | Pinnacle Forensics LLC — Monthly hosting fee (Feb), incremental processing | $16,200.00 | Continued document processing and QC
Mar 2023 | eDiscovery — Hosting & Processing | Pinnacle Forensics LLC — Monthly hosting fee (Mar), production preparation | $17,890.00 | Production formatting for Apr 14 delivery
Jan 2023 | Court Filing Fees | S.D.N.Y. — Answer and Counterclaim filing fee | $402.00 | Filed Jan 13, 2023
Feb 2023 | Court Filing Fees | S.D.N.Y. — Joint Case Management Plan and related filings | $0.00 | No fee for joint submission
Jan–Mar 2023 | Legal Research — Online Services | Westlaw / database access charges | $5,680.00 | Research on material breach standards, NY liquidated damages enforceability, cure doctrine, mitigation, first-to-breach, standing under FRCP 17
Feb 2023 | Travel | Air and ground transportation — S. Eklund, P. Gallagher to New York for Initial Pretrial Conference (Feb 10) | $3,240.00 | Airfare DFW-JFK (Gallagher attended in person; Eklund from NY office)
Feb 2023 | Travel | Hotel — P. Gallagher, 1 night NYC (Feb 9–10) | $485.00 | Pre-conference preparation and attendance
Jan 2023 | Courier / Service of Process | Service of Answer and Counterclaim on Caldwell Royce & Shapiro LLP | $125.00 | 1 Liberty Plaza, 22nd Floor, New York, NY 10006
Mar 2023 | Courier / Service of Process | Service of First Interrogatories, First RFP, and First RFA on CRS | $138.00 | Served Mar 6, 2023
Mar 2023 | Copying / Printing | Document reproduction and binder preparation for discovery responses | $2,350.00 | Preparation of response sets and production index
Jan–Mar 2023 | Expert Fees | Kensington Analytics Group LLC — Dr. Evelyn Rosser and Michael Chung (preliminary analysis) | $11,280.00 | Hourly rates: Rosser $625/hr, Chung $375/hr; initial data review and damages framework development
Feb 2023 | Telephone / Conference Calls | Conference call charges — client strategy calls, court conferences | $380.00 | Multiple calls with Tobias Wren, Ridgeline team
Mar 2023 | Postage / Severin Partners LLC | Overnight deliveries to client and court | $720.00 | Various transmittals
Jan–Mar 2023 | Miscellaneous | Meals, local transportation, and sundry charges | $999.00 | Various team working meals during intensive discovery preparation
TOTAL DISBURSEMENTS — Q1 2023 | $78,340.00
[sheet: Budget Tracker]
Phase | Budget Low | Budget High | Cumulative Actual Fees | Cumulative Actual Disbursements | Cumulative Actual Total | % of Budget Low Used | % of Budget High Used | Status / Commentary
Pleadings & Motions | $350,000 | $525,000 | $312,500 | $527 | $313,027 | 89.4% | 59.6% | Answer, counterclaim, and initial motions largely complete; potential renewed MTD or summary judgment costs remain
Document discovery (Written & Production) | $600,000 | $900,000 | $248,400 | $52,540 | $300,940 | 50.2% | 33.4% | First production scheduled Apr 14; significant review costs expected in Q2 2023
Document Review (Vendor/Platform) | $500,000 | $800,000 | $192,650 | $0 | $192,650 | 38.5% | 24.1% | Pinnacle Forensics costs captured in disbursements; internal review labor here; heavy period ahead
Depositions | $350,000 | $500,000 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0.0% | 0.0% | Depositions anticipated Q2–Q3 2023; 5+ depositions planned (Pruitt, Kirkwood, Hess, Milescu, Vantorovich)
Expert Engagement | $175,000 | $275,000 | $62,800 | $11,280 | $74,080 | 42.3% | 26.9% | Kensington Analytics retained; Trask Greystone (plaintiff's expert) report expected May 2023; rebuttal report to follow
Case Strategy & Research | $200,000 | $325,000 | $195,500 | $5,680 | $201,180 | 100.6% | 61.9% | Extensive legal research completed on multiple defense theories; may slow as discovery becomes primary focus
Administration & Reporting | $75,000 | $125,000 | $37,800 | $8,313 | $46,113 | 61.5% | 36.9% | Monthly and quarterly reporting; court conference attendance; lender updates to Lakeshore National Bank
Trial Preparation | $250,000 | $450,000 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0.0% | 0.0% | Not yet commenced; anticipated late 2024 if case proceeds to trial
Contingency / Misc. | $100,000 | $200,000 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0.0% | 0.0% | Reserve for unanticipated motions, discovery disputes, or appellate issues
TOTAL | $3,500,000 | $5,200,000 | $1,099,650 | $120,520 | $1,220,170 | 34.9% | 23.5% | Tracking within budget range; Q2 2023 expected to be highest-spend quarter due to document production and beginning of deposition phase
[sheet: Key Activity Log]
Date | Activity / Milestone | Personnel | Status
Jan 4, 2023 | Revised draft Answer and Affirmative Defenses incorporating S. Eklund edits and client comments from Tobias Wren | P. Gallagher, S. Laroche | Complete
Jan 6, 2023 | Memorandum re Counterclaim Strategy — analysis of merits and strategic value of declaratory judgment counterclaim | P. Gallagher | Complete
Jan 12, 2023 | Quarterly Litigation Update to Lakeshore National Bank (Catherine Devereaux, SVP, Loan Administration) — Q4 2022 update: MTD filed and pending; no change in exposure assessment | T. Wren (SLG), reviewed by P. Gallagher | Complete
Jan 13, 2023 | Answer, Affirmative Defenses, and Counterclaim filed with Court (S.D.N.Y.) — 42-page filing asserting 14 affirmative defenses and counterclaim for declaratory judgment that termination was valid for Cause | S. Eklund, P. Gallagher | Filed
Jan 27, 2023 | Vantor's Answer to Stonefield's Counterclaim received — denials and affirmative defenses; no surprises per S. Laroche analysis (Feb 1) | S. Laroche | Reviewed
Jan 30, 2023 | Memorandum re Mitigation of Damages — Vantor's Obligations under NY law; analyzed favorable freight market conditions in Q1–Q2 2022 | S. Laroche | Complete
Feb 7, 2023 | Joint Proposed Case Management Plan filed (jointly with J. Whitford of Caldwell Royce & Shapiro LLP) | P. Gallagher | Filed
Feb 9, 2023 | Letter Brief re Initial Pretrial Conference submitted to Hon. Margaret T. Calloway | P. Gallagher | Filed
Feb 10, 2023 | Initial Pretrial Conference before Hon. Margaret T. Calloway, U.S.D.J. | S. Eklund, P. Gallagher | Complete
Feb 15, 2023 | Memorandum re Duplicative Damages — argues Vantor cannot recover both liquidated damages ($67.23M) and lost profits ($18.7M) | P. Gallagher | Complete
Feb 15, 2023 | Clawback Agreement / FRE 502(d) stipulation filed (jointly with CRS) | P. Gallagher | Entered by Court as part of CMO
Feb 17, 2023 | Case Management Order entered — Fact discovery deadline: Sept 29, 2023; Expert discovery: Jan 12, 2024; Dispositive motions: Mar 1, 2024 | Court | Entered
Mar 6, 2023 | Defendant's First Set of Interrogatories (25), First RFP (38 requests), and First RFA (30 requests) served on Vantor via CRS | P. Gallagher | Served
Mar 15, 2023 | Document Review Protocol Memorandum issued to review team (Nystrom, Tsao, Laroche) — TAR 2.0 methodology, privilege guidelines, coding taxonomy | D. Moretti, P. Gallagher | Complete
Mar 15, 2023 | Memorandum re First-to-Breach Doctrine — argues VTS committed first material breach by unilaterally reducing fleet capacity (October 2021) | S. Laroche | Complete
Mar 20, 2023 | Vantor's First Set of Interrogatories and First RFP received from CRS | Received | Under review
Mar 22, 2023 | Privilege Review Memorandum — Pre-Litigation Communications with Ashford Meridian LLP; identified 84 documents for privilege log | S. Laroche | Complete
Mar 28, 2023 | Memorandum re Anticipated April 2022 Rate Adjustment — Motive Evidence analysis (14.3% rate increase from $2.87/mi to $3.28/mi) | S. Laroche | Complete
Ongoing | Document collection, processing, and first-pass review via Pinnacle Forensics platform — 186,000 pages processed; TAR 2.0 model training; privilege identification | D. Moretti, K. Nystrom, H. Tsao, S. Laroche | In Progress — production scheduled Apr 14, 2023