JOHN T. CURTIN, District Judge.
By order entered on October 25, 2010, this court granted the motion of plaintiff's counsel Kenneth R. Hiller, Esq., made pursuant to 42 U.S.C.§ 406(b), awarding him the total amount of $7,066.72 as a reasonable fee for representing plaintiff in this action.
Section 406(b) provides, in relevant part:
42 U.S.C. § 406(b)(1)(A). As recognized by the Second Circuit, this provision "requires the district court to review the reasonableness of any requested fee. . .," Wells v. Sullivan, 907 F.2d 367, 371 (2d Cir. 1990), giving deference to the "freely negotiated expression both of a claimant's willingness to pay more than a particular hourly rate . . . and of an attorney's willingness to take the case despite the risk of nonpayment . . .," while balancing "the interest in protecting claimants from inordinately large fees against the interest in ensuring that attorneys are adequately compensated so that they continue to represent clients in disability benefits cases." Joslyn v. Barnhart, 389 F.Supp.2d 454, 456 (W.D.N.Y. 2005) (citing Wells, 907 F.2d at 371; Gisbrecht v. Barnhart, 535 U.S. 789, 805 (2002)).
Upon review of the matters set forth in the parties' submissions in light of these considerations, the court finds that Mr. Hiller's request for an additional award in the amount of $4,255.60 satisfies the requirements of Section 406(b). Based on the information provided by the SSA and relied upon by counsel, the amount of the additional award should be calculated as follows:
The court also accepts the representations of counsel for both parties that these calculations reflect a reasonable rate of pay for the legal work performed on this matter, as well as the contingent nature of the recovery. See Gisbrecht, 535 U.S. at 803-07 (explaining Congress' rationale for authorization of contingent fee arrangements under § 406(b)). Further, there is no evidence of fraud or overreaching, and the court notes that the Commissioner does not seek a downward adjustment of the fee requested in order to avoid a windfall to the attorney. Id. at 808 (citing with approval Wells, 907 F.2d at 372).
For these reasons, the court grants Mr. Hiller's motion pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 406(b) (Item 25) to the extent it requests an additional payment in the net amount of $4,255.60 (reflecting reduction by the amounts already paid as attorney's fees under § 406(a) and the EAJA, as explained in the parties' submissions and as reflected in the calculations above). The Commissioner is hereby directed to take the steps necessary to cause the net amount of $2,331.41 ($4,255.60 less $1,924.19 previously paid to Mr. Hiller pursuant to the court's prior order) to be made payable to Mr. Hiller from the fund of withheld past due benefits, and to adjust the fund accordingly, in compliance with the requirements of the Social Security Act and implementing regulations as interpreted by the federal courts, and in full satisfaction of the obligations imposed by this order.
So ordered.