Johnson Bottini, LLP Announces Update on Brocade Options

Press Release 2008/03/05 12:56   Bookmark and Share
Johnson Bottini, LLP, Co-Lead Counsel in the shareholder derivative lawsuit involving the manipulation of stock options at Brocade Communications Systems, Inc., announces the following update on the case. Several motions in the case will be heard on March 28, 2008 in Santa Clara, California. Plaintiffs are seeking to amend the complaint to assert declaratory relief claims against Gregory Reyes, the ex-CEO of Brocade, and Stephanie Jensen, the former V.P. of Human Resources. Reyes, who was convicted of securities fraud by a jury in San Francisco on August 7, 2007, was sentenced on January 16, 2008 to 21 months in prison.

Jensen was convicted on December 6, 2007 of conspiracy to commit securities fraud and of falsifying Brocades books and records. She has not yet been sentenced. In the lawsuit, Plaintiff is seeking to recover damages for the benefit of Brocade and against Reyes, Jensen, KPMG LLP and other defendants. Plaintiff believes that the damages Brocade has suffered exceed $200 million. If you are a Brocade shareholder and would like more information about the status of the case, contact Frank A. Bottini, Esq. at 619-230-0063 or frankb@johnsonbottini.com or go to www.johnsonbottini.com.
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Johnson & Perkinson Announces Class Action

Press Release 2008/03/05 12:13   Bookmark and Share
Johnson & Perkinson hereby announces the commencement of a class action lawsuit naming Superior Offshore International, Inc. ("Superior Offshore" or the "Company") (Nasdaq: DEEP). Individuals, families, trusts or other entities that purchased Superior Offshore common stock between April 20, 2007 and January 9, 2008, inclusive, have the opportunity to participate as Lead Plaintiffs in the currently pending class action litigation against the Company. To do so, you must apply to serve in that capacity by April 28, 2008.

Johnson & Perkinson, a litigation boutique law firm based in South Burlington, Vermont, has extensive experience prosecuting investor class actions and actions involving financial fraud. Attorneys Johnson and Perkinson are both former employees of the Securities and Exchange Commission. Dedicated to maximizing shareholder return, members of Johnson & Perkinson have prosecuted complex class actions alleging securities or consumer fraud/deception on behalf of investors/consumers against numerous public companies since 1985, resulting in the recovery of many hundreds of millions of dollars, and have been singled out for excellence by various courts. The firm is litigating, or has recently resolved litigation, as Lead or Co-Lead Counsel in securities class actions against Xerox, Priceline, Wireless Facilities, i2 and Xchange, and serves on the Executive Committee in the Global Crossing case.

The Complaint charges the Company and certain of its officers and directors with making a series of materially false and misleading statements in the Registration Statement and Prospectus issued in connection with the IPO, in violation of the Securities Act of 1933.

If you wish to discuss this action or have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights or interests with respect to these matters, please contact Johnson & Perkinson attorneys James F. Conway, III, Eben F. Duval, or Christopher Allen toll free at 1-888-459-7855; via email at email@jpclasslaw.com; through our website at www.jpclasslaw.com; or by mail at Johnson & Perkinson, 1690 Williston Road, P.O. Box 2305, South Burlington, Vermont 05403. Though Johnson & Perkinson has not filed a Complaint against Superior Offshore at this time, attorneys at Johnson & Perkinson can investigate your potential claims and help you decide if seeking appointment as a Lead Plaintiff is right for you. Your ability to share in any recovery is not affected by your decision to not seek appointment as a Lead Plaintiff.

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Enron class-action firm bills for 247,000 hours

Press Release 2008/03/05 12:11   Bookmark and Share

A lawyer who helped reap a US$7.2-billion settlement for Enron investors says his firm deserves a record US$700-million in fees, due to the complexity and risky nature of the case.

"This is an extraordinary case and we did an extraordinary job," Patrick Coughlin, a partner with Coughlin Stoia Geller Rudman & Robbins LLP, the lead attorneys in the case, told a hearing in U.S. District Court in Houston.

The firm's founder, William Lerach, retired in August. He pleaded guilty to kickback scheme at his former law firm, but still stands to receive a multi-million-dollar payout from the Enron case.

Coughlin Stoia is seeking about 9.5% of the total settlement amount, which would equal nearly US$700-million.

Mr. Coughlin presented his case in an elaborate multimedia presentation to U.S. District Judge Melinda Harmon, who now must approve the fee award. The presentation included testimonials from former Enron employees and a clip from the Oscar-nominated legal thriller Michael Clayton.

Over the course of the case that lasted six years, Mr. Coughlin said his firm billed 247,000 hours, took 400 depositions and submitted 5,700 filings.

"We didn't leave any avenue unturned," he said.

Still, other attorneys took issue with the size of the award, arguing that more should go to investors.

"Class counsel has not proved the legitimacy of this fee request," Larry Schonbrun, who represents a single investor in the case, told the court.

The settlement was paid by banks including Citigroup Inc. that are accused of helping the energy trader hide financial misdeeds that led to its collapse. The settlement still lacks final approval from Judge Harmon.

Recently, a group of plaintiffs firms sought about US$460-million in fees following settlements in a securities fraud case against Tyco International Ltd.

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Schmidt & Clark, LLP Announces Trasylol Website

Press Release 2008/03/04 12:39   Bookmark and Share
Schmidt & Clark, LLP, a nationally recognized drug litigation law firm has announced today that it has recently added additional content to its Trasylol recall website.

Trasylol has been marketed by Bayer for 14 years. Bayer marketed it aggressively until it was used in approximately 1/3 of all cardiac bypass surgeries. In the last two years, Trasylol has been linked to kidney or renal failure, heart attacks, strokes and approximately 22,000 deaths.

At the heart of current and pending litigation surrounding Trasylol side effects, is the fact that Bayer was aware of the potential problems over two years ago. A study connecting Trasylol and serious side effects was presented in January 2006, but the drug was not recalled until November 2007. Bayer failed to present their research to the FDA in their September 2006 meeting. The chairman of that FDA advisory panel, Dr. William Hiatt, said that he would have voted for a Trasylol recall back in 2006 if Bayer had not withheld the data from their study.

Michael E. Schmidt, Managing Partner of Schmidt & Clark, LLP has noticed an alarming number of inquiries to the firm related to Trasylol. Mr. Schmidt stated, “Our firm has substantial expertise in the areas drug litigation. As a result, we have received a number of inquiries from heart bypass surgery patients claiming serious or life-threatening side effects including death, kidney or renal failure, heart attacks, and strokes.”

Schmidt & Clark, LLP represents a number of Trasylol recall victims and continues to be contacted by victims of Trasylol on a frequent basis.

If you or a loved one has been the victim of a Trasylol induced side effect, the firm suggests that you visit their Trasylol website. The site includes detailed lawsuit information, news and more.

About Schmidt & Clark, LLP

Schmidt & Clark, LLP focuses on helping individuals and families. The firm has built a reputation for success, and represents their clients in group and individual lawsuits nationwide.

Although Schmidt & Clark, LLP is national in scope, they level the playing field for their clients by providing them with access to a level of professional legal representation previously available only to large corporations, while still providing personal attention to each client.

For more information on Schmidt & Clark, LLP or Trasylol lawsuits, please visit: http://www.schmidtandclark.com/Trasylol/ or call toll free 24 hrs/day (866) 588-0600.
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Helms Mulliss & Wicker merging into Virginia law firm

Press Release 2008/03/03 12:35   Bookmark and Share

McGuireWoods LLP and Helms Mulliss & Wicker PLLC are joining forces in a merger that will create a law firm with nearly 900 lawyers and offices in 17 locations.

The combined firm will be known as McGuireWoods LLP. The merger will be effective at the close of business on March 31, 2008.

McGuireWoods currently has 750 lawyers at 15 locations worldwide, including 40 in Charlotte. Helms Mulliss, established in Charlotte in 1922, has 145 lawyers, including 120 in Charlotte and 25 in offices in Raleigh and Wilmington.

Triangle Business Journal reported in January that Charlotte-based Helms Mulliss & Wicker was in merger talks with Richmond, Va.-based McGuireWoods. Firms with a strong Charlotte presence often are courted by out-of-state firms interested in the city's high-powered financial sector.

Both firms do business with Wachovia and Bank of America. But Richard Cullen, chairman of McGuireWoods, says that the merger was driven by more than just obtaining additional banking business.

"It would be wrong to assume we're doing this merger because of any one city in North Carolina or any one client," says Cullen. "We're very eager to be in Raleigh. We're planning on growing that office."

Cullen declined to go into specifics about how many people might be added over the coming years in the Raleigh office, which currently has 20 lawyers.

After the merger, Peter Covington, the chairman and managing member of Helms Mulliss, will become vice chairman of McGuireWoods, a newly created position.

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Fulbright & Jaworski L.L.P. Announces 11 New Partners

Press Release 2008/03/02 12:35   Bookmark and Share
HOUSTON - Fulbright & Jaworski L.L.P. has selected 11 lawyers from within the international firm to join Fulbright's global partnership.

Fulbright's new partners include: Michael Thomas Clark, Antony James Corsi, Denise Webb Glass, Richard D. Hill, Matthew H. Kirtland, Christopher J. Lallo, Michael S. McCoy, Oscar Rey Rodriguez, David A. Rosenzweig, Bryn Alan Sappington and Paul Trahan.

"We are delighted to welcome this outstanding group of lawyers to join us as partners during an exciting time in our firm's history," said Steven B. Pfeiffer, Chair of Fulbright's Executive Committee. "We are strategically adding talented and experienced lawyers to our worldwide offices. Our newest partners have long been a part of our core practice areas, including corporate, IP, energy, health, litigation and tax. They share in our culture of placing the utmost importance on client service and anticipating our clients' needs. Through them, we know the future is bright for our firm and our clients."

AUSTIN:

Paul Trahan is Austin's newest partner. Trahan handles complex commercial litigation in a variety of industries including the technology, construction, motor vehicle, real estate, and health care industries. He has first chair jury trial, bench trial, and arbitration experience. Before joining Fulbright, Trahan was a commercial banker in Houston, serving as a lender in Bank One's Energy Group. He later joined the team at Southwest Bank of Texas (now Amegy), where he served as a Vice President in Commercial Lending. Trahan received his J.D. in 1997 from The University of Texas School of Law. He received his M.B.A. in 1988 from The University of Texas and his B.A. cum laude in 1985 from Texas A&M University.

DALLAS:

Denise Webb Glass is a new partner in Dallas. She has worked in Fulbright's health law section since 1997. She concentrates on operational, business and related regulatory issues affecting the health care services industry. In addition to receiving her J.D., cum laude, from the University of Houston Law Center in 1996 and her B.A., cum laude, from The University of Texas at Austin in 1993, Glass has completed the course work for a Masters of Public Health from the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston. She was admitted to practice law in Texas in 1996 and is certified in health law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.

Oscar Rey Rodriguez also is a new partner in Dallas, where he previously served as senior counsel. As a member of Fulbright's appellate practice group and litigation department, Rodriguez focuses on state and federal appellate and trial litigation. He graduated as his law school class valedictorian from Southern Methodist University's Dedman School of Law in 1993 and went on to work as a judicial clerk to Justice Nathan L. Hecht of the Supreme Court of Texas. Among other honors, Rodriguez holds the distinction of having earned the highest score on the July 1994 Texas Bar Examination. He received his B.B.A., Honors Program Certificate in 1989 from The University of Texas at El Paso, where he received numerous honors. Admitted to practice law in Texas in 1994, Rodriguez is certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in Civil Appellate Law.

Bryn Alan Sappington also joins the partnership in Dallas, where he was a senior associate. Sappington advises publicly and privately held companies in mergers and acquisitions, offerings of securities and other corporate matters. He received his J.D. cum laude in 1998 from the University of Michigan, where he was the over-all runner up in the 1998 Campbell Moot Court competition. Sappington received his B.A. in biology from Baylor University in 1992 and was admitted to practice law in Texas in 1998.

HOUSTON:

Christopher J. Lallo joins the partnership in Fulbright's Houston office, where he had been a senior associate in tax. Lallo has been associated with the firm since 1999. He concentrates on domestic and international tax matters, has broad-based experience in the area of tax planning related to domestic and cross-border mergers and acquisitions, and advises clients on the U.S. federal income tax consequences of various transactions, including merger and acquisitions, tax-free reorganizations, spin-offs and other divestitures, cross-border investments, and financing structures. Lallo received his J.D. in 1999 with honors from The University of Texas School of Law, where he was a member of the Order of the Coif and an editor of the Texas International Law Journal. He received his B.B.A. in accounting, magna cum laude, from Texas A&M University in 1996.

Michael S. McCoy also is a new partner in Houston. McCoy handles intellectual property and technology-based litigation. Additionally, he counsels a varied clientele about securing, managing and maximizing profit from intellectual property, in addition to identifying and protecting intellectual property assets through filing and prosecuting patent, copyright and trademark applications. McCoy received his J.D. from the University of Houston Law Center and his B.S. in aerospace engineering in 1989 from Texas A&M University. McCoy is registered to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

LOS ANGELES:

Michael Thomas Clark joins Fulbright's partnership in the Los Angeles office, where he has been a senior associate. He handles corporate and securities law matters with an emphasis on mergers and acquisitions. He received his J.D. in 1998 from George Mason University School of Law, where he was Editor-in-Chief of The Journal of International Legal Studies. He received his B.A. in 1994 from The Master's College in Santa Clarita, California. Clark was admitted to practice law in California in 1998.

LONDON:

Antony James Corsi is a new partner in Fulbright's London office, where he has been a senior associate since 2006. Corsi handles dispute resolution - primarily complex commercial litigation, alternative dispute resolution, risk assessment and internal and regulatory investigations. His international dispute resolution experience involves diverse locations, including North America, the Caribbean, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia. As a member of the London Solicitors Litigation Association and the Solicitors Association of Higher Court Advocates, Corsi is a qualified solicitor advocate with rights of audience in the civil High Court. Corsi received his LLB with honours from the University of Bristol in 1994 and completed his legal practice course at the College of Law in 1995. He was admitted as a solicitor in England and Wales in 1997.

Richard Hill joins the partnership in Fulbright's London office, where he had been a senior associate since 2005. He practices in Fulbright's international arbitration group, and handles commercial litigation and alternative dispute resolution. Hill has been involved in major international arbitrations in England, Ireland, France, Switzerland, Italy, the Czech Republic, the United States, Mexico, Hong Kong, Singapore and China, and provided counsel under the ICC, ICDR, ICSID, LCIA and UNCITRAL rules. Additionally, Hill has extensive litigation experience in the English High Court, Court of Appeal, House of Lords and Privy Council, and in the courts of certain commonwealth jurisdictions. He is also experienced in mediation and other forms of ADR. He is co-editor of the Leading Arbitrators' Guide to International Arbitration (Juris, 2003) a new edition scheduled to be published in March 2008. Hill received a post-graduate diploma in law from City University, London, in 1995, and graduated with honours from Cambridge University in 1993. He was admitted as a barrister in England and Wales in 1996, receiving the Prince of Wales Award, and as a solicitor-advocate in 1999.

Fulbright & Jaworski L.L.P. Media Relations Manager Pam Easton, 713-651-8480 peaston@fulbright.com

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