"Historic" $185 Million Settlement in Minor League Baseball Wage-And-Hour Case Given Final Approval
March 30, 2023
On Wednesday, March 29, 2023, Magistrate Judge Joseph C. Spero granted final approval of a $185 million settlement in Senne et al. v. Office of the Commissioner of Baseball et al., Case No. 3:14-cv-00608 (N.D. Cal.) -- one of the largest wage-and-hour settlements in history. Korein Tillery (along with co-class counsel Pearson, Simon & Warshaw LLP) led this effort on behalf of current and former minor league baseball players against Major League Baseball in a class action lawsuit alleging that MLB and its clubs imposed unfair rules and contractual provisions that have required players to work long hours without any pay for much of the year.
Korein Tillery partner Garrett Broshuis, a former minor league pitcher who has led Korein Tillery's litigation efforts in the case, commented that "after 9 years of litigation, we’re happy that the court has approved the settlement. This is a landmark result that will provide much-needed backpay to thousands of minor league players, and that will usher in important changes to their contracts. We believe this is one of the largest wage-and-hour settlements in history, and we’re thankful to the court for its hard work on this important case. Until recently, most players earned less than $10,000 for an entire year of work and went months without receiving a paycheck, even during required work periods like spring training. This settlement is a big step towards rectifying that, and we were privileged to have represented the players in this case."
The Court itself took notice of Korein Tillery's skilled advocacy on behalf of the class, stating in its final settlement approval order that Korein Tillery "has handled this case skillfully and with professionalism, diligently pursuing the interests of the players. The significant relief they have obtained under the Settlement Agreement is, in no small part, due to their expertise and dedication."
In addition to Mr. Broshuis, Korein Tillery attorneys Stephen Tillery, Marc Wallenstein, Michael Forrest, and Peter Rocque; Korein Tillery Director of Legal Support Stephanie Clerkin; and paralegals Lisa Lucas, Leann Eckhardt, and Megan Epperson were instrumental in achieving this excellent result for the class.
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