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Lerach, Coughlin, Stoia, Geller, Rudman & Robbins, LLP[By Anique Gonzalez]

Lerach, Coughlin, Stoia, Geller, Rudman & Robbins, LLP, is comprised of 180 members located in numerous cities across

the United States, including New York and Los Angeles. The firm has several practice areas, including securities, antitrust,

insurance, consumer, environment, and public-health class actions. The firm boasts a varied staff that includes attorneys “who

left partnerships at other firms or came to Lerach Coughlin from federal, state, and local law enforcement and regulatory

agencies, including dozens of former federal prosecutors. Lerach Coughlin also includes more than 25 former federal (circuit

and district) and state judicial clerks.” In fact, two of the firm’s most recent arrivals include a former federal judge and a former

United States Assistant Attorney.

Recently, the firm has been involved in

several highly publicized class-action

lawsuits involving AOL Time Warner

and the now-infamous Enron. As the

reader will probably recall, in 200�, it was

discovered that high-ranking Enron officials

were involved in accounting fraud, which

eventually forced the company to file for

bankruptcy. When investors filed suit against

Enron’s directors, Lerach Coughlin served

as sole lead counsel, eventually earning

a settlement that forced many of Enron’s

directors to personally pay for much of the

agreement. Lerach Coughlin’s expertise in

the class-action arena is exemplified by the

fact that the firm has recovered more than

$45 billion as a result of such lawsuits.

In addition to playing a prominent role in

well-known and highly lucrative cases,

Lerach Coughlin stresses the importance

of giving back and helping individuals who

do not possess the means to pay for legal

services. In 2003, three of the firm’s lawyers,

Eric Isaacson, Bonny Sweeney, and Amber

Eck, were nominated for the California State

Bar President’s Pro Bono Law Firm of the

Year award for their participation in Sanchez v. County of San Diego.

Sanchez v. County of San Diego was filed on

behalf of welfare applicants in response to

San Diego County’s Project �00%. According

to the firm’s website, “Under Project �00%,

investigators from the San Diego D.A.’s

office, Public Assistance Fraud Division,

enter and search the home of every person

who applies for welfare benefits, even though

there is no suspicion of fraud or wrongdoing

[…].” While a summary judgment was

granted in the county’s favor (an appeal is

currently pending), San Diego County did

agree to settle claims relating to its violation

of state statutes.

In addition to their California State Bar

nominations, Isaacson, Sweeney, and Eck

were awarded San Diego Volunteer Lawyer

Program (SDVLP) Distinguished Service

awards. These awards are bestowed upon

individuals who donate a minimum of �50

hours per year to pro bono cases. The San

Diego office, of which Isaacson, Sweeney,

and Eck are currently members, also

received the SDVLP �999 Pro Bono Law Firm

of the Year award as a result of its work

on Badua v. City of San Diego. The case,

which involved a woman who sued the City

of San Diego as a result of the benefits she

received under the city’s long-term disability

program, was eventually settled out of court.

ON THE NET

Lerach, Coughlin, Stoia, Geller, Rudman &

Robbins, LLP

www.lerachlaw.com

Enron

www.enron.com/corp

San Diego Volunteer Lawyer Program

www.sdvlp.org

FIRM PROFILE