New York law firm Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom could have to pay overtime to a contract lawyer for performing non-legal work after a court found that a contract lawyer was not engaged in legal services when he performed document review for the defendants. The findings mean that those hired by law firms to do basic review work could be eligible for overtime if they worked more than 40 hours per week doing non-legal service work, hence increasing the wages bill for firms employing temporary lawyers. The 2nd US Circuit Court of Appeals found contract lawyers could be eligible under federal labour law for overtime if the work was so basic that it did not constitute the practice of law. The case was brought by David Lola who was hired by an agency to review documents for Skadden at $25 an hour and who is bringing a class action on behalf of other contract lawyers.
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