Unlucky Hank Adorno

From the Miami Herald-

His law firm once stood to earn a $2 million fee for negotiating a settlement on behalf of taxpayers suing Miami -- but the agreement brokered by attorney Hank Adorno excluded scores of taxpayers.

That settlement became Miami's now-infamous fire-fee scandal, sparking taxpayer anger and prompting a judge to overturn the hefty fee once headed to Adorno's firm.

On Friday, the money started flowing the other way: Adorno & Yoss announced in court it would pay taxpayers $1.6 million.

That payment, the terms of which still must be finalized, will be combined with $15.55 million that Miami City Hall has agreed to refund taxpayers who paid Miami's illegal fire fee but were initially excluded from the settlement.

Taxpayers could see checks in the mail by next spring.

The original deal that Adorno negotiated in 2004 cost City Hall $7 million -- and paid money to only seven people.

While the so-called ''lucky seven'' enjoyed a windfall, the rest of Miami's thousands of taxpayers got nothing.

The money paid to the ''lucky seven'' has since been recovered. New attorneys were assigned to represent taxpayers, and Adorno's initial $2 million legal fee vanished.

Attorney David Hartnett, who appeared in court on behalf of Adorno & Yoss, did not acknowledge any wrongdoing on Adorno's part when telling Circuit Court Judge Jose Rodriguez of the firm's proposed $1.6 million payout.

Sure Adorno & Yoss did nothing wrong. What made those seven so lucky? Did they have some connection to the lawyers who filed the suit. Who knows but having seen class action suits be abused, little surprises me in the American court system today.

Maybe the Florida State bar will look into Mr. Adorno. Right now I feel glad he lost his fee. That's satisfactory punishment at this stage, as long as it sticks. How's your legal reputation now Mr. Adorno?

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