Noted Antitrust Practitioner Charles Rule Joins Cadwalader

Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP announced today that noted
antitrust lawyer Charles ("Rick") Rule will join the firm as the head
of the firm's antitrust practice. Mr. Rule will be resident in
Cadwalader's Washington, D.C. office. Mr. Rule, the former head of the
antitrust practice at Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver and Jacobson LLP,
has represented a number of the world's largest corporations in
connection with private antitrust litigation, major transactions and
civil and criminal investigations by antitrust authorities around the
world.

Cadwalader Chairman Robert O. Link, Jr. stated, "Issues of
competitive risk come into play whether a company is buying, selling
or merging. Broadening the foundation from which we can offer
antitrust counseling and compliance and litigation services is a key
component of extending our services to a large segment of our client
base. We look forward to working with Rick to exploit synergies,
enhance services for our clients and take advantage of new
opportunities."

Mr. Rule noted that, "Cadwalader provides a tremendous platform
for my practice. The firm's Litigation and Corporate Departments are
outstanding and will compliment my practice well. I look forward to
working with the firm's impressive list of diverse clients, from
prominent financial institutions to leading corporations. Together
with my new colleagues at Cadwalader, I believe we can provide
uniquely capable, knowledgeable and experienced service.

"In particular, with the convergence of the U.S. and European
markets and the emergence of Chinese businesses in international
transactions, clients now more than ever need a forward-thinking legal
team to help them navigate the maze of conflicting rules and
regulations. With Cadwalader offices in each of these key regions, I
look forward to helping clients by providing the cross-border capacity
and global insight they need."

Among Mr. Rule's past representations include: Microsoft
Corporation; US Airways Inc.; Northrop Grumman Corporation; Goldman,
Sachs & Co.; the National Basketball Association; Bacardi & Company
Ltd.; and Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. He was a key member of the team
that negotiated on behalf of Microsoft a conclusion to the historic
antitrust lawsuit that the U.S. Justice Department and a number of
states pursued against the company. He has also been involved in the
antitrust clearance of some of the highest-profile mergers in recent
years, including Exxon Corporation's merger with Mobil Oil Corporation
and MGM Mirage in its acquisition of Mandalay Bay. He currently
represents Delta & Pine Land Co. in its acquisition of Monsanto.

Mr. Rule joined Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP in
2001, following his tenure as a partner at the Washington law firm of
Covington & Burlington, where he was chairman of the firm's antitrust
and trade regulation practice group. Prior to private practice, he
held various positions with the Antitrust Division of the U.S. Justice
Department, including serving as William Baxter's special assistant
and as acting head of the Division, before, in 1986, becoming the
youngest person ever to be confirmed to the position of Assistant
Attorney General in charge of the Antitrust Division.

"Rick's rich and varied career at the DOJ and in private practice
has resulted in his national reputation for his technical excellence,
legal insight and business acumen. His experience fills a strategic
niche in our Litigation Department, adding a level of capability that
allows us to better serve clients with competition matters," stated
Gregory A. Markel, Chairman of the firm's Litigation Department.

A summa cum laude graduate of Vanderbilt University in 1978, Mr.
Rule received his J.D. from the University of Chicago in 1981.
Following law school, he served as a clerk for Chief Judge Daniel M.
Friedman of the former United States Court of Claims (now the Court of
Appeals for the Federal Circuit). He is listed among the world's
leading antitrust lawyers by a variety of publications, including
Chambers Global: The World's Leading Lawyers for Business (2006
edition) and Washington's Legal Times. He has written extensively and
is a frequent lecturer on antitrust and regulatory topics. A former
distinguished adjunct professor of law at American University's
Washington College of Law, Mr. Rule is a member of the Advisory Board
of BNA's Antitrust & Trade Regulation Report; a member of the advisory
boards of the Washington Legal Foundation and the Landmark Legal
Foundation; sits on the Board of Directors of the Children's Law
Center; and serves on the Visiting Committee of the University of
Chicago Law School. He is admitted to the bar in the District of
Columbia.

About Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP

Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP, established in 1792, is one of
the world's leading international law firms, with offices in New York,
London, Charlotte, Washington and Beijing. Cadwalader serves a diverse
client base, including many of the world's top financial institutions,
undertaking business in more than 50 countries in six continents. The
firm offers legal expertise in antitrust, banking, business fraud,
corporate finance, corporate governance, environmental, financial
restructuring and reorganizations, healthcare, insurance and
reinsurance, litigation, mergers and acquisitions, private client,
private equity, real estate, securities and financial institutions
regulation, securitization, structured finance, and tax. More
information about Cadwalader can be found at www.cadwalader.com.