June 2013
For the seventh consecutive year, The Legal 500 USA Guide (“Legal 500”) has recognized BLB&G as a first tier firm under the practice area “Mass tort and class action: plaintiff representation-securities” – the only firm to have been given this rating every year since the publication began the rankings seven years ago. Also, for the second time in a row, BLB&G is ranked a top firm in the “Mergers, acquisitions, and buyouts – M&A: litigation” category, a category that was instituted by the Legal 500 just last year to recognize plaintiff work in M&A litigation.
Individually, the Legal 500 identifies partner Max Berger and former partner Steve Singer as “Leading Lawyers” in the “Mass Tort and class action: plaintiff representation – securities” category. It also recognizes Mark Lebovitch as a “Leading Lawyer” for the “Mergers, acquisitions, and buyouts – M&A: litigation” category. The guide recommends BLB&G partners Salvatore Graziano, John Rizio-Hamilton, Hannah Ross, and Gerald Silk.
According to the Legal 500, BLB&G is described by its sources as a “leader in the field” and “provides ‘outstanding’ service and responsiveness.” Sources also praise BLB&G partners Salvatore Graziano and Max Berger as “‘particularly effective in the prosecution and handling of cases.’”
As part of its profile of the firm, the guide highlights recent noteworthy settlements achieved by BLB&G in both practice areas, including the $2.425bn settlement obtained in In re Bank of America Corp Securities, Derivatives and Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) and the $49m settlement reached in In re Delphi Financial Group Shareholder Litigation, which amounted to an unprecedented 90% of the recoverable class damages sought.