Kalindi McAlpine, Appellant v. Steven Priddle, Appellee

Summary

The Alaska Supreme Court affirmed confirmation of an attorney-fee arbitration award requiring no refund of a $75,000 fee. It held that the arbitrators' factual and legal determinations on the merits were unreviewable, adopted a federal standard for fraud-based vacatur claims, and deferred to the panel's finding that the alleged fraud had already been considered and rejected in arbitration. The court also held that the award did not violate public policy because the panel interpreted the fee agreement as allowing a refund of any unearned portion.