Former United States Attorney and Noted Securities Litigators Become Partners

September 3, 2002 (New York, NY) - Proskauer Rose LLP announced today that it has added three new high-profile partners to the firm's 150-attorney, nationwide Litigation and Dispute Resolution Department. The move is designed to meet the rapidly increasing demand to represent corporate and individual clients in civil and criminal investigations and prosecutions, as well as in securities class actions and complex litigation. The new partners are:

Robert J. Cleary, until recently the United States Attorney in New Jersey and former Chief of the Major Crimes Unit of the U.S. Attorney's Office in Manhattan. Cleary successfully prosecuted the "Unabomber" and led the prosecution of the perpetrators of the accounting scandal at Cendant Corporation.

Howard Wilson, former Chief of the Criminal and Civil Divisions of the U.S. Attorney's office in Manhattan under Rudy Giuliani and Commissioner of Investigation for the City of New York in the Giuliani administration. Prior to joining Proskauer, Wilson was a litigation partner at KMZ Rosenman concentrating in securities litigation and criminal defense.

Stephen L. Ratner, noted litigator on behalf of major financial services firms, concentrating in securities and commodities litigation and investigations. Prior to joining Proskauer, Ratner was a litigation partner at KMZ Rosenman.

Proskauer Chairman Alan S. Jaffe announced the move stating, "Major corporations and their senior executives find themselves under unprecedented pressure and scrutiny in today's environment. With Bob Cleary, Howard Wilson and Steve Ratner, Proskauer has added three pre-eminent litigators who will enhance our ability to counsel clients to avoid litigation and to defend their interests when their actions are challenged."

The three new partners join former federal prosecutors Richard Marmaro in Proskauer's Los Angeles office and Mark J. Biros in its Washington, D.C. office, as well as a team of litigators in New York, in the firm's corporate investigation and defense practice. This interdisciplinary group, including attorneys who have served as prosecutors and in senior positions in regulatory agencies, represents clients in civil and criminal government investigations and prosecutions, and in civil litigation and conducts internal corporate investigations for private and public companies. In addition, the new partners will work closely with the firm's securities litigators representing issuers, accountants, broker-dealers, and corporate officers and directors in civil litigation, including shareholder suits, before state and federal courts and regulatory agencies throughout the country.