Article Summary
The National Association of Realtors (NAR) has replaced its outside legal counsel in two antitrust commission suits with a law firm that charges up to $3,000 an hour. Cooley LLP, which has been representing NAR since at least 2022, has been replaced by Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan. Michael D. Bonanno, a partner at Quinn Emanuel and chair of its antitrust investigations practice, is now representing NAR in these cases. The change comes after NAR faced criticism for its spending last year and made budget cuts. Ethan Glass, NAR’s lead counsel at Cooley, is now representing Compass in its lawsuit against Northwest Multiple Listing Service (NWMLS) over policies prohibiting office exclusives.
What This Means for You
- Real estate professionals should be aware of the legal battles facing NAR and how they could impact the industry.
- The high hourly rates charged by Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan could result in significant legal fees for NAR, which could potentially affect membership dues or other financial aspects of the association.
- The representation of Compass by NAR’s former attorney, Ethan Glass, might raise concerns about potential conflicts of interest or bias in legal proceedings involving the real estate giants.
- It is essential for real estate professionals to stay informed about key players, legal developments, and potential impacts on their businesses, considering the rapidly evolving landscape of real estate law and policy.
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The National Association of Realtors has replaced its outside legal counsel in two bombshell commission suits with a law firm that charges up to $3,000 an hour.
Last week, attorneys for Cooley LLP, a global law firm based in Palo Alto, California, informed courts in Missouri and Illinois that they were withdrawing from the antitrust cases known as Gibson and Moehrl and that NAR would now be represented by Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, a Los Angeles-based business litigation firm with more than 1,200 attorneys.
Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan also represents Elon Musk and New York Mayor Eric Adams. According to a February 2025 Reuters article, Quinn Emanuel said in court filings that its partners currently bill between $1,860 and $3,000 an hour. This is up about 34 percent since 2022, when partners charged up to $2,130 an hour.
“Quinn Emanuel’s $3,000 top rate marks a milestone for leading U.S. law firms as lawyers’ hourly fees continue to soar,” Reuters said.
The average hourly rate for partners at large firms was $1,114, according to an October 2024 Reuters article.
It is unclear how much Cooley charges NAR per hour, but at least one top Cooley partner charged $1,250 in 2021, according to Reuters.
In 2023, NAR paid Cooley $12.47 million, according to the trade group’s latest nonprofit tax filing. The firm was NAR’s second-most highly compensated independent contractor that year, after PR firm Havas Media Group.
NAR came under fire for its spending last year in the wake of its $418 million antitrust settlement and allegations it showered staff and volunteer leaders with perks while funding partisan groups through one of its nonprofits. Since then, NAR says it has made tens of millions of dollars in budget cuts.
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