Expert Testimony for Legal Fee and Insurance Claims Disputes
Jim Schratz provides expert witness services in matters involving the reasonableness of attorney fees, legal billing practices, insurance bad faith, and claims handling.
His opinions are grounded in decades of experience as an attorney, claims professional, insurance executive, legal fee auditor, and consultant. That background allows him to connect billing records, claim files, case history, and litigation strategy to the practical standards courts and counsel need to evaluate.
Areas of Expert Testimony
- Attorney fee disputes, fee petitions, and legal billing reasonableness.
- Legal fee audits and challenges to billing practices in complex litigation.
- Insurance bad faith allegations and insurer claim handling conduct.
- Claim file review, litigation management, independent counsel issues, and related insurance practices.
- Declaration, deposition, arbitration, hearing, and trial testimony support.
From Source Documents to an Expert Opinion
Each engagement begins with the relevant invoices, pleadings, claim files, correspondence, case schedules, and staffing records.
Jim evaluates what work was performed, why it was performed, and whether the billing or claims conduct was reasonable. The analysis connects those facts to the applicable standard.