Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP Elects Six New Managing Partners

PHILADELPHIA, PA (February 12, 2002) — The law firm of Drinker Biddle & Reath is pleased to announce the recent election of six new Managing Partners. The Managing Partners at Drinker serve as an internal board of directors for the firm. Attorneys James M. Altieri, Michael J. Holston, Gerald W. Hull, Andrew C. Kassner, W. Bruce McConnel, and Daniel F. O'Connell will serve four-year terms beginning on February 1, 2002.

Andrew C. Kassner is assistant to the Chairman of the firm, a member of the firm's Business and Finance Department, and the co-head of the firm's Finance and Restructuring Practice Group. His practice is concentrated in workouts, complex Chapter 11 cases and related bankruptcy litigation. Mr. Kassner also has capabilities in all aspects of real estate restructurings, hospitality lease finance, telecommunications and healthcare insolvency matters. He is a graduate of New York Law School and is a member of the New York Bar Association, Pennsylvania Bar Association, Philadelphia Bar Association, Eastern District of Pennsylvania Bankruptcy Conference, the Commercial Law League and the American Bankruptcy Institute.

James M. Altieri is a veteran member of the firm's Litigation Department. He concentrates his practice on complex commercial litigation representing clients in the financial services, pharmaceutical, insurance, entertainment, consumer products and related industries. Mr. Altieri is a graduate of Fordham University Law School and is a member of the American and New Jersey State Bar Associations, as well as the Associations of the Federal Bar and the Bar of the City of New York.

W. Bruce McConnel is a partner of the firm and chairman of the firm's Investment Management Group. His practice primarily involves advising banks with respect to their securities law activities and their creation of pooled investment products, and representing bank-advised mutual funds and their Boards of Directors or trustees. Mr. McConnel has participated in the development of mutual fund programs for over 20 bank holding companies involving over 300 investment portfolios distributed by a cross-section of national, regional and specialty distributors. He is a graduate of University of Pennsylvania Law School.

Gerald W. Hull is a senior real estate partner and co-head of the Real Estate Practice Group. He has extensive experience in all aspects of real estate, including land use, zoning, construction, permanent and other types of financing transactions, retail, commercial and industrial leasing, sale leaseback transactions and title insurance. His practice has involved transactions throughout the United States. Mr. Hull is a graduate of Rutgers University School of Law. He is a member of the bar of the State of New Jersey and is admitted to the bar of the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey.

Michael J. Holston is a partner, a member of the firm's Litigation Department and the co-head of the White Collar/Corporate Investigations Practice Group. His practice is centered on white collar criminal defense litigation and complex civil litigation. Mr. Holston is involved in representing corporations, officers, directors and other individuals in cases involving healthcare fraud, political corruption, tax fraud, insurance fraud, bank fraud, securities fraud, environmental crimes and various other federal and state crimes. He is a graduate of Villanova University School of Law.

Daniel F. O'Connell is a partner in the Business and Finance Department focusing on healthcare matters. He is head of the Health Law Practice Group, and also the partner-in-charge of the Florham Park office. Mr. O'Connell concentrates his practice in institutional, corporate and medical staff healthcare matters, and has practiced healthcare law for 30 years. He has handled corporate mergers, restructuring and joint ventures. He also handles fraud and abuse matters, rate appeals, and medical staff relations and serves as general and special counsel for numerous healthcare institutions. Mr. O'Connell is a graduate of Rutgers University School of Law. He is a member of the American Bar Association, New Jersey State Bar Section on Health and Hospital Law, a past president of the Somerset County Bar Association, a member of the American Health Lawyers Association and a member of the American Society of Law and Medicine.