Milberg Weiss Completes Planned Separation

    NEW YORK, May 3 /PRNewswire/ -- The following is the text of a joint
 statement by Milberg Weiss Bershad & Schulman LLP and Lerach Coughlin Stoia &
 Robbins LLP:
 
     Following many years of growth and success as a single entity, as partners
 of Milberg Weiss Bershad Hynes & Lerach LLP, we have concluded that the
 advantages of becoming two separate nationwide entities outweigh those of
 remaining a single law firm.  After being partners and friends for over 35
 years, we fully anticipate having continuing collaboration and cooperation
 with respect to current cases.
     The essence of the changes is that the existing partnership will continue
 and will be renamed Milberg Weiss Bershad & Schulman LLP (with offices in New
 York, Boca Raton, Los Angeles, Wilmington and Seattle).  Patricia Hynes will
 remain Of Counsel to the firm, continuing her long and distinguished
 association with Milberg Weiss.  The partners of the firm's West Coast
 operations (with offices in San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Houston,
 Philadelphia and Washington, D.C.) will withdraw from the partnership and form
 a new firm, Lerach Coughlin Stoia & Robbins LLP.
     Since 1965, the firm has been responsible for recoveries exceeding $40
 billion in the areas of securities, insurance, antitrust, consumer and other
 complex commercial litigation.  Both firms will continue to represent
 plaintiffs in class and individual actions nationwide.
 
 

SOURCE  Lerach Coughlin Stoia & Robbins LLP