A federal jury in Georgia has ordered retired Atlanta defamation attorney Lin Wood to pay $750,000 in attorney fees and costs following a $3.75 million defamation verdict against him. The decision, delivered Friday, came a day after the same jury found Wood liable for defamation in a case brought by three of his former law partners.

Lin Wood Defamation Case : Background of the Defamation Case

The lawsuit stemmed from Wood's social media posts accusing his former partners — Nicole Wade, Jonathan Grunberg, and G. Taylor Wilson — of being "criminal extortionists" following the dissolution of L. Lin Wood PC in February 2020. The jury’s Thursday verdict awarded $3.75 million in damages to Wade, Grunberg, and Wilson. On Friday, the jury determined that Wood must also pay $750,000 towards their attorney fees and costs.

The plaintiffs had requested 33% of the $3.75 million verdict as attorney fees, a sum reflective of a contingency fee agreement. Plaintiffs' attorney Drew Beal explained to the jury that such agreements are standard in defamation and First Amendment cases, with legal expert Randolph Mayer testifying that a 33% fee was actually on the low end for the Atlanta market, where fees of 40% are more typical.

Lin Wood Defamation Case : Controversy Over Fee Amounts

Wood's attorney, Chris Harrison, contested the requested fee amount, arguing that time sheets and records showed the plaintiffs' attorneys had only accrued $610,834.46 in fees based on hourly rates. He suggested that awarding 33% of the verdict, or $1.23 million, would effectively double their compensation, which he deemed unreasonable. Harrison proposed a more modest fee award of $250,000, arguing it was more in line with the actual work performed.

The jury ultimately decided on a fee award of $750,000, balancing the arguments presented by both sides.

The Trial and Ongoing Legal Battles

During the trial, Wood testified that his social media posts were a necessary defense against what he perceived as extortion by his former partners, who had sued him over unpaid fees. He claimed he genuinely believed he was being extorted when his former partners demanded fees in 2020 that were twice what they were owed.

However, the plaintiffs painted a different picture, describing Wood as an abusive employer who turned his large social media following against them, leading to threats and harassment. Notably, Wilson testified that Wood’s posts endangered their families, while Wade recounted receiving over 600 threatening messages. Grunberg detailed an incident where Wood choked him during an argument, a claim Wood initially denied but was later contradicted by video evidence.

The defamation case is just one part of the ongoing legal disputes between Wood and his former partners. A separate state court lawsuit over unpaid fees, including those related to the high-profile Nicholas Sandmann case, remains active.

After the verdict, Beal expressed satisfaction with the jury's decision, highlighting the emotional toll the case had taken on his clients and their families.