A law firm in New York says it's entitled to a "substantial" fee for working on the Oneida Nation land claim.

Bond, Schoeneck & King filed the lawsuit in 1970. The firm's contract called for it receive 20 percent of any recovery up to $1 million if the case was settled.

But the only money recovered in the case has been $57,494 in fees. A federal magistrate said the firm is only entitled to $5,174.

"That’s totally wrong," Jake Thompson, who led the tribe at the time, told The Syracuse Post Standard. "They did a lot more than $5,000 worth of work for the Oneida nation. They’re the ones who got these cases going."

The tribe filed a different land claim in 1974. The 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals effectively ended the lawsuit last year although an appeal is planned.

Get the Story:
Syracuse law firm wants more money for work it did early on in the Oneida land claim case (The Syracuse Post-Standard 3/31)

2nd Circuit Decision:
Oneida Nation v. Oneida County/Madison County (August 9, 2010)

Related Stories:
Oneida Nation 'of course' plans to appeal decision on land claim (8/11)
Turtle Talk: Oneida Nation ruling kills Eastern tribal land claims (8/10)
New York counties celebrate ruling in Oneida Nation land claim (8/10)
2nd Circuit rules against Oneida Nation in long running land case (8/9)