The two biggest winners are based in Louisiana - Domengeaux Wright Roy & Edwards of Lafayette and Herman and Herman & Katz in New Orleans – with each set to score $87 million. The two firms have been involved in the litigation from its early days and, according to the panel’s report, 'oversaw and steered the entire litigation effort’. Other firms are also set to share major windfalls with at least two in line for more than $40 million, namely Mobile, Alabama-based Cunningham Bounds LLC iand Weitz & Luxenberg in New York.

Tragedy

Millions of barrels of oil spilled into the Gulf of Mexico for almost three months after an explosion on the Deepwater Horizon offshore rig at BP’s Macondo well in the Gulf of Mexico. The tragedy resulted in the death of 11 workers with the subsequent pollution affecting Gulf fisheries, delicate wetlands and recreational beaches.

Costs

BP has estimated its costs related to the spill, including cleanup, restoration and legal settlements, total more than $61 billion. Courts have assigned most of the responsibility for the disaster to BP, while Transocean, which leased the rig to BP, and Halliburton, a contractor, have also reached various settlements in the cases

Wait and see

Now the law firms must wait and see if federal judge, US District Judge Carl Barbier approves the recommendation filed in the US District Court in New Orleans. It is not known when he will reach a decision and it is also likely that some of the recommended allocations may be challenged with the report itself acknowledging that some firms dispute their allocations.