the article concludes with:

You are also telling them something else, which is that there are multiple ways for district courts to cut down on the lodestar amount, either because you spent too much time on this or we didn't like your travel expenditures. And so there are multiple ways for those hours to be cut down." Why would any lawyer take on a civil rights case if the meter only runs backward?

You have GOT to be kidding! Ever hire a building contractor? You hire them to do a job for a set price, and if there are headaches and you don't change your mind and ask for something extra, they eat it. You put in that a job must be finished by a certain date, and if it isn't there are penalties, etc.

Why would anyone build your building if the clock only runs backwards?

Are there cadres of civil rights lawyers living in boxes under bridges? I don't think so. In the real world, people take jobs where the clock only runs backwards every day. If it's not worth a lawyer's time to do so, then obviously lawyers make too much and have it too easy.