Contact Information: Contact: Bernstein Litowitz Berger & Grossmann LLP New York, N.Y. Alexander Coxe Marketing Director (212) 554-1423 alex@blbglaw.com
Both Benchmark: Litigation and The National Law Journal Again Name Bernstein Litowitz Berger & Grossmann Among Leading U.S. Litigation Firms, Announces Bernstein Litowitz
NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwire - December 10, 2008) - The law firm of Bernstein Litowitz Berger and
Grossmann LLP ("BLB&G") was once again recognized as one of the nation's
most highly regarded litigation boutiques by both Benchmark: Litigation -
The Definitive Guide to America's Leading Litigation Firms & Attorneys
("Benchmark" or "the Guide") and The National Law Journal ("NLJ").
Repeat Accolades from Benchmark
For the second year in a row, Benchmark, compiled by publishers of leading
financial news magazines Institutional Investor and Euromoney, recognized
BLB&G as one of a select group of firms and attorneys "most capable of
handling complex cases."
Gleaned from an extensive research process with peers and clients,
Benchmark hails the firm and its attorneys as "one of the best, bar none."
Particularly noteworthy is the fact that, of the 41 New York firms honored,
BLB&G was the only firm selected which exclusively represents plaintiffs.
Senior Partners Max Berger and Sean Coffey were recognized as "Local
Litigation Stars" and Partners Salvatore Graziano, Blair Nicholas, Gerald
Silk and David Stickney were selected as "Rising Stars." Mr. Berger is
praised as a "powerhouse" litigator and "man of his word," who secured
"several of the largest securities fraud recoveries in history." "Equally
able in securities work," clients credit Mr. Coffey as "great [and] really
personable," admiring his outstanding work in landmark cases such as the
WorldCom securities litigation, among several other ongoing and settled
matters.
Fifth Year on NLJ "Hot List"
One of only four firms in the nation selected for the fifth consecutive
year to The National Law Journal's "Plaintiffs' Hot List," BLB&G is among a
select group of the most distinguished plaintiff firms in the country,
which have performed "cutting edge work" with "unusual dedication and
creativity," and have scored "significant wins" in high stakes litigation
within the past year.
According to The National Law Journal, BLB&G "has represented plaintiffs in
many of the biggest securities fraud class action settlements... [having]
recovered nearly $13 billion for institutional investors during the past
six years," including the groundbreaking $920 million recovery in the stock
options backdating action against top executives of UnitedHealth Group Inc.
NLJ also notes the firm's involvement in prosecuting "numerous lawsuits
emanating from the U.S. subprime mortgage debacle."
Continued Professional Recognition for the Firm; Leadership in Unfolding
Credit Crisis Litigation
NLJ and Benchmark represent only the most recent accolades for BLB&G.
Further testament to the firm's reputation, earlier this year BLB&G again
received top rankings by both Chambers and Partners' Guide to America's
Leading Lawyers for Business ("Chambers") and the Legal 500 United States
("Legal 500").
Notable in these earlier citations was Legal 500's recognition of the
firm's groundbreaking representation in subprime and credit crisis
litigation. BLB&G received the top ranking in the Subprime Litigation
category and was identified as a "strong choice for lead counsel in many
matters... due to its ability to prosecute the full spectrum of claims
arising in the subprime area." Legal 500 noted clients' praise for the
efforts of partner Gerald Silk, who heads the firm's Subprime and Credit
Crisis Litigation Group.
The firm is currently lead counsel representing investors in numerous
ongoing securities fraud cases against subprime lenders including American
Home Mortgage, Countrywide Financial Corporation, New Century Financial
Corporation, and Washington Mutual, Inc., among many others. In addition,
BLB&G is lead counsel in cases against the players further "down the
pipeline" in the securitization process -- the investment banks, bond
insurers, and financial institutions such as Lehman Brothers Holdings,
Ambac Financial Group, Inc., MBIA, Inc. and American International Group.
Inc. The firm is also representing institutional investors in consolidated
class actions against major money managers and fund advisors, such as State
Street Bank & Trust Company and RAIT Financial Trust, who improperly
exposed their institutional clients to subprime holdings.
Since its founding in 1983, BLB&G has obtained over $20 billion in
recoveries for investors and achieved precedent-setting corporate
governance reforms on behalf of its institutional investor clients. Over
the last several years, the firm has received substantial media recognition
from the many high profile cases it has resolved and is currently
prosecuting. In addition to obtaining unprecedented monetary recoveries,
the firm has litigated numerous seminal cases establishing precedents which
have increased market transparency, held wrongdoers accountable, and
changed corporate business practices in groundbreaking ways. From
establishing an industry-accepted definition of director independence and
altering the makeup and accountability of corporate boards of directors, to
comprehensively upgrading the due diligence process of investment banks,
addressing stock options abuses by corporate executives, or protecting the
rights of investors and individuals in the wake of the subprime mortgage
collapse, the firm's cases have addressed wrongdoing and yielded results
which have served as models for public companies going forward.
To read more about the firm's experience and remarkable litigation track
record, visit www.blbglaw.com.