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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
