U.S. Attorney Kevin Ryan to Address Options Backdating Taskforce at IQPC Securities Litigation Conference November 29-December 1 at Affinia Manhattan

6 October 2006

Since U.S. Attorney Kevin Ryan announced the formation of the local stock options backdating taskforce on July 13, at least eighteen local companies have received requests for information from the U.S. Attorney's Office, which is under the Justice Department and at least 60 companies nationwide -- and nearly two dozen in the valley -- have disclosed they are under investigation by the Securities and Exchange Commission or Justice Department.

The task force is now composed of members of the U.S. Attorney's Office, the FBI, and IRS-Criminal Investigation in the Northern District of California and is chaired by Eumi Choi, first assistant U.S. Attorney.

On November 30, both U.S. Attorney Kevin Ryan and First Assistant U.S. Attorney Eumi Choi will speak at the IQPC Securities Litigation conference. Kevin Ryan will discuss the taskforce including the recent addition of IRS- Criminal Investigation. Eumi Choi will speak along with David Esseks, Chair of the Securities Fraud Unit of the U.S. Attorney's Office in the Southern District of New York and Charles Hacker, Jr., partner at Pricewaterhouse Coopers to provide perspectives on internal investigations of potential securities fraud.

In addition, the IQPC conference will bring together regulatory, enforcement, corporate and outside counsel leaders to discuss emerging trends in enforcement and winning litigation strategies. Among the groups represented will be global economic consultants, senior officials from leading regulatory agencies, heads of compliance and litigation from the world's leading financial institutions and leading litigators from prominent law firms including: the NASD, NYSE, SEC, Credit Suisse Securities, UBS Financial Services, Deutsche Bank, Wachovia Securities, Morgan Stanley, Marsh McLennan Companies, CitiGroup Global Markets, and NERA Economic Consulting. Some of the discussions will include:

* Cutting edge developments in damage calculations Post DURA

* SEC and NASD enforcement initiatives

* Trends in settlements, mediation techniques, negotiating and valuing

* NYSE Enforcement matters issued on stock loans, fee-based accounts,

proxy, mutual fund market timing, Reg SHO, email retention and sales

practice misconduct.

In addition, the two interactive pre-conference workshops will provide additional comprehensive discussions. The first workshop will cover how to manage NYSE examinations led by senior managers at the NYSE and the second will cover how to defend your client in SEC investigations.

For more information, please contact Jill Fridley at Jill.Fridley@iqpc.com or 646-502-3234 and for marketing opportunities and partnerships, please contact LaToya D. Williams; Marketing Manager at Latoya.Williams@iqpc.com or 212-885-2708.

This conference is organized by the International Quality and Productivity Center (IQPC). To obtain the latest information, contact IQPC at 1-800-882- 8684 or visit http://www.iqpc.com/na-10684-001

Source: prnewswire

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