Lawfirm that goes after corporate wrongdoers-members facing indictment

[FogerRox]

U.S. Readies Case Against Tort Lawyers

By JOSH GERSTEIN - Staff Reporter of the Sun
February 24, 2006

Federal prosecutors have told two partners at a leading New York class-action law firm to prepare to be indicted on charges stemming from an investigation into alleged illegal payments to plaintiffs in securities lawsuits, a lawyer involved in the case said yesterday.

>snip<

Mr. Hayes said he believes that one factor fueling the investigation may be the business community's deep-seated enmity toward Milberg Weiss, which is one of the best-known and most feared class-action firms in America.

"What makes me uncomfortable is the fact that all of the big corporations hate these guys. Sometimes their lawsuits are meritless but a lot of the time, they're not," Mr. Hayes said. "It appears they're stretching to make a case where the politicians who appoint these U.S. attorneys want to lock these guys up. The case is a stretch."


>snip<

An indictment of the Milberg Weiss firm could jeopardize its viability, regardless of whether the government ultimately wins a plea or conviction. "They do so much work that requires them to be appointed as lead counsel acting in the public interest by a court. It would be a mess," a lawyer for Mr. Selzer, David Weichert, said.
Whole story--

http://www.nysun.com/article/28103?page_no=1

Milberg Weiss in the news:

Milberg Weiss Announces Conditional US$2.4 Billion Settlement of Nortel Securities Class Action; Client OPTrust Issues Press Release

Milberg Weiss Partner David J. Bershad Comments on Nortel Settlement

Milberg Weiss Announces Legal Fellowship at the Drum Major Institute for Public Policy

Milberg Weiss Obtains Preliminary Approval for $225 Million Settlement of KPMG Tax Shelter Case

Milberg Weiss named to The National Law Journal's "Plaintiffs' Hot List"

Humana Inc. Settles Lawsuit with Physicians

Court Certifies Class of Annuity Purchasers in Securities Fraud Action Against Pacific Life

Milberg Weiss Announce Aid To Those Impacted By Hurricane Katrina

Milberg Weiss, Counsel for Whistleblower Dr. Kiki Sarafoglou, Announces Settlement of Claim Brought Pursuant to the Federal False Claims Act Initiated by Dr. Sarafoglou for $4.3 Million

Milberg Weiss Obtains $90 Million Settlement in Royal Dutch Shell ERISA Litigation; One of the Largest Settlements in ERISA History, Amount Reflects an Impressive 78% Recovery

Wellpoint Settles Lawsuits with Physicians and Medical Societies

Los Angeles Daily Journal Presents Top 30 Securities Litigators in California Featuring Jeff Westerman, Managing Partner of Milberg Weiss's Los Angeles Office

Health Net Inc. and Prudential Insurance Company of America Settle Suits With Physicians

The Medical Society of the State of New York, Physicians and Excellus Enter Into Settlement Agreement

Raytheon Securities Litigation Settles for $460 Million; Milberg Weiss Is Lead Counsel for Lead Plaintiff New York State Retirement Fund.

from-

http://www.milbergweiss.com/newsevents/newsevents.aspx

Pro Bono work:

04/14/04 Trial Lawyers Care
In conjunction with Trial Lawyers Care, Milberg Weiss assisted the families of victims of the September 11th attacks. Our lawyers helped families to file claims with the September 11th Victims Compensation Fund. To date, 2,924 death claims have been filed with the fund, and more than 4,300 claims for injuries relating to the attacks or the aftermath.



12/09/03 September 11 Victim Compensation Fund (Preliminary Hearing)

12/01/03 The Legal Aid Society
Since December 2003, Patricia M. Hynes has served as the Chair of the Board of Directors of the Legal Aid Society. Milberg Weiss associates were the top contributors to the Society's 2003 Associates Campaign, for law firms with 16-49 associates. In March 2005, Ms. Hynes and Milberg Weiss each received an award from the Society recognizing their outstanding pro bono efforts in accomplishing the restructuring.

Debt Deal Lets Legal Aid Society Stay in Business
Legal Aid Restructures, Avoids Bankruptcy; Projects Balanced Budget After Concessions From Unions, Creditors



11/01/00 Swiss Banks
Milberg Weiss filed this class action suit on behalf of victims of Nazi persecution against several Swiss banks for their collaboration with the Nazis including retaining accounts and laundering illegal assets. The case settled in 1998 for $1.25 billion and the money is now being distributed among several categories of survivors who suffered as a result of Swiss wrongdoings. Senior Partner Melvyn Weiss was designated as one of the signatories to the Settlement Fund.

07/01/00 Slave Labor
Milberg Weiss filed a series of class action suits against German companies who had exploited slave and forced labor during World War II. After very long and contentious negotiations between the parties, German, US and Israeli governments, as well as international Jewish organizations, a framework agreement of an approximately $5 billion settlement was reached. The settlement is now funding several programs including slave labor and medical experimentation compensation, insurance and assets claims, as well as educational programs.

from-
http://www.milbergweiss.com/firm/probono.aspx?pageid=5140&pubtype=5304

DUer alcibiades_mystery on the Milberg Weiss Law Firm

Milberg Weiss terrifies the corporatists,I worked in corporate law. the mere mention of MW send shivers down the spines of litigation partners everywhere. Seriously.

from here-
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=2478825&mesg_id=2479827

I am reposting this with a new headline after seeing the original drop- here-

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x2478825

I think this is an important story that has sort of snuck under the radar. Firms like this do such great work, it reminds me of the story of the John Edwards law suit for the little girl who got most of her guts sucked out, after getting stuck on a defective drain, while in a hot tub. It may be that drawing a parallel between John Edwards and the Milberg Weiss Law Firm is a fair one.

If the Milberg Weiss Law Firm goes down because of this prosecution, it will have a chilling effect for years to come.

Please consider recommending this post, below, here:

[phoebe]

1. we are clearly at the front door of facism and are about to step through

into a very ugly phase in this country. There is no doubt that the politicians have been heading in this direction for a long time, despite their lame protestations to the contrary. There are only a handful of reputable honest men and women in government that see what is/has been going on and they are now powerless to stop it - so the time old question..when will the US population have had enough??

[FogerRox]

2. exactly

. . .so the time old question..when will the US population have had enough??

[mom cat]

4. We already stepped through. The sound that you hear it them

locking the door from the other side.
K&R This is an important story.

[bear425]

3. k&r n/t

[FogerRox]

5. LOL-- do we need to make an audio file-- for sounds effects 4 this thread?

Smile--

[FogerRox]

6. More-

Milberg Weiss Announces The Filing Of A Class Action Suit Against Chicago Bridge & Iron Company N.V. and Certain Of Its Officers and Directors on Behalf of Investors

The complaint alleges that CBI . . . .repeatedly reported . . .strong financial results and "record backlog" of construction projects that would generate significant revenues . . . these statements were materially false and misleading, . . . .defendants failed to disclose that . . . .positive results . . . were the result of . . . fraudulent accounting.

Rest of article here-

http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20060224005622&newsLang=en

[radio4progressives]

7. kick and recommended

it's happening so fast we have so little time..

wake up people!

[IndyOp]

8. Holy shit - The fascists are busy. (nt)

:grr:

[Capn Sunshine]

9. Remember that Tort lawyers are major contributors to the Democratic Party

The fascist strategy has always been two pronged:

1)Insulate corporate profits from danger of loss through tort lawsuits over malfeasance

2) knock the pins out from under a major source of funding for the Democratic Party.

[FogerRox]

10. You are right Capn Sunshine- its a 2 for 1 special

[JudyM]

11. The public good is being attacked on all fronts. K&R.

[Humor_In_Cuneiform]

12. Typical GOP rovian strategy.

Totally typical.

In AZ the son of the candidate (Pederson) running against Kyl for a Senate seat was arrested for drugs while in possession of only a small amount of drugs.

Sheriff Joe at your service, a devotee of the shrub.

:puke:

I can't wait to go on vacation and hear NO news for a week or so.

[FogerRox]

15. "Totally typical. " . . . . . yes it is

[autorank]

13. Oh, great. Now they're going after the class action guys & gals.

What's next? They've destroyed public law firms for the poor, they've kept the lid on those for the disabled, now they're going after the class action guys.

That's an impressive list of accomplishments in the letter.

We'll see how the Feds do. They've tarred the firm.

Wonder if they'll the same pansy ass results they did with Enron.

Speaking of which, I heard the NYT reporter on the case make a stunningly stupid statement on CSpan the other day. He said the fact that Ken Lay owned so much Enron stock showed that he believed in the corporation's viability. What a total idiot remark. It could also, more likely, show that he believed in the invulnerability of the scam.

We're in deep trouble folks, very deep.

RECOMMENDED

[FogerRox]

14. yes

That's an impressive list of accomplishments in the letter.

That was one of the things what attracted me to this story in the first place.

[Greyhound]

16. K&R

[understandinglife]

17. K&R.

Peace.

[Nothing Without Hope]

18. K & R. Just awful, but no surprise from these criminals. What can we do?

:kick:

[DemReadingDU]

19. K&R

[Melissa G]

20. Important story! Sorry it is past the reccomend time!

Thanks for keeing this out for folks to see Foger rox!

[FogerRox]

23. Thanks- I feel weird- I just Bk marked my own thread-- ARGggg

[AtomicKitten]

21. Fascism rears its ugly head while America sleeps.

[AX10]

22. Oh gee, I am just so suprised I say.

Suprised I say.....NOT! :argh: