For more than 30 years, I have helped courts, insurers, and law firms evaluate attorney fees and insurer conduct in complex litigation.
Based in Sonoma, California, Jim Schratz & Associates works nationwide. My practice focuses on three closely connected areas:
Evaluating legal fees requires understanding how cases are litigated. Evaluating insurer conduct requires knowing what the claim file shows. My work across both areas helps me assess the records and explain the issues clearly.
I have conducted more than 4,000 audits for plaintiffs, defendants, government entities, and insurers. Courts have cited my work when reducing requested fees, sometimes by up to 75%.
Each engagement begins with a free file review. I examine the invoices and case background and explain whether a full audit is warranted. In roughly 15–20% of matters, I advise that an audit is not necessary.
If an audit is appropriate, I provide a not-to-exceed budget before work begins.
Before establishing this practice, I spent 14 years as an insurance adjuster and later as a senior executive at Fireman’s Fund. I supervised high-exposure claims worldwide, including matters with multimillion-dollar bad faith risk.
That experience informs my assessment of:
I have been qualified as an expert in state and federal courts across the country and have provided deposition and trial testimony in hundreds of cases involving bad faith, claims handling standards, and insurer conduct.
Law firms engage me when their fees are challenged, when preparing a fee petition, or when responding to an audit that overlooks the realities of litigation. My work includes:
Having conducted thousands of audits, I help firms assess the review and demonstrate the reasonableness of their work.
I am regularly retained across the United States, including in multi-state disputes and complex fee litigation. Most engagements use electronic file review, video conferences, and remote collaboration.
Described by the American Bar Association Journal as a “major player in the field of legal fee audits,” I have written more than 35 articles on topics including fee petitions, insurance bad faith, conflicts of interest, and claims-handling standards. These publications are widely used by practitioners and have been cited in litigation and continuing legal education programs.
My writing addresses practical questions clients raise: how to review fees, document claims, and prevent disputes.
If you are preparing or opposing a fee application, facing a bad faith claim, or addressing a dispute over attorney fees or insurer conduct, I would be pleased to discuss your matter.
Send a brief, non-confidential description of the fee or claims issue and any relevant deadlines for an initial review.
