Armstrong Teasdale LLP announces the addition of attorney Angie Fletcher as an associate in the St. Louis office. Fletcher is a member of the Corporate Services practice group and focuses primarily on securities, corporate governance, and commercial and general business law.

Supporting growing and mature businesses, Fletcher guides clients in securities law compliance, Exchange Act reporting, mergers and acquisitions, internal restructuring and general commercial contracting. She also develops social responsibility programs for businesses and their employees to be better involved in the community.

“Angie shares the firm’s vision of delivering value and innovative service,” says David Braswell, leader of the firm’s Corporate Services practice group. “Her past corporate experience and client relationships will be invaluable as we continue to grow and diversify the practice.”

Previously serving as corporate counsel for a Fortune 500 company in the energy sector and for a leading producer of plastic sheet, compounds and packaging products, Fletcher has the experience and ability to provide practical, cost-effective and business-oriented approaches to her clients when solving routine and complex issues.

Fletcher earned her J.D. with a concentration in Business Transactional Law from Saint Louis University School of Law in 2008. She received her B.A. in history and political science, cum laude, in 2003. Fletcher is licensed in Missouri and a member of The Missouri Bar, The Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis and the Society of Corporate Secretaries and Governance Professionals.

About Armstrong Teasdale: Armstrong Teasdale LLP, with nearly 235 lawyers in offices across the U.S. and China, has a demonstrable track record of delivering sophisticated legal advice and exceptional service to a dynamic client base. Whether an issue is local or global, practice area specific or industry related, Armstrong Teasdale provides each client with an invaluable combination of legal resources and practical advice in nearly every area of law. For more information, please visit www.armstrongteasdale.com.

The American Bar Association’s Death Penalty Representation Project will acknowledge Philadelphia law firms Reed Smith LLP and Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP’s role in ground-breaking, pro bono litigation of capital punishment appeals with an Exceptional Service Award on Wednesday, Sept.22, 2010 in Houston.  

“There is no greater responsibility for an attorney than to defend a person whose life is at risk,” said ABA President Stephen N. Zack. “These firms are courageous, passionate and skilled advocates who are deeply committed to core principles of justice like due process and fairness, despite the demands of these cases.  They represent the best of our profession and make us proud.”  

Drinker Biddle & Reath partner and death penalty expert Lawrence Fox will accept the award at the 24th Anniversary and Volunteer Recognition Event in Houston, TX.  Fox is a renowned contributor to systemic defense reform.  He is recognized for his amicus filings, which were cited by New York University law professor Anthony Amsterdam in his letter nominating the firm for the award; for standards-writing; and as an expert witness.

Reed Smith attorneys Christopher Walters and David Kochman will accept the award on behalf of their firm.  Reed Smith was nominated by the Southern Center for Human Rights and Equal Justice Initiative, which cited the firm’s leadership in four death row cases in Alabama in 2008.  Each of the four men were only weeks away from losing appeal rights due to lack of legal representation; and the death sentence in each case was imposed by a trial judge who overrode the jury’s decision to impose life without parole.

With nearly 400,000 members, the American Bar Association is the largest voluntary professional membership organization in the world.  As the national voice of the legal profession, the ABA works to improve the administration of justice, promotes programs that assist lawyers and judges in their work, accredits law schools, provides continuing legal education, and works to build public understanding around the world of the importance of the rule of law.

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Rigrodsky & Long, P.A. announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed in the United States District Court for the Central District of California on behalf of all persons or entities who purchased or otherwise acquired the common stock of SearchMedia Holdings Limited between April 1, 2009 and August 20, 2010, inclusive (the "Class Period"), seeking to pursue remedies under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Complaint").

The Complaint names SearchMedia and certain of the Company's current and former executive officers and directors as defendants. Ideation was a blank check company organized under the laws of the State of Delaware on June 1, 2007, and formed for the purpose of acquiring, through a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition or other similar business combination, one or more businesses. On April 1, 2009, the Company announced an agreement to purchase SearchMedia International Limited ("SMIL"), a purported nationwide multi-platform media company in China. On October 30, 2009, Ideation completed the acquisition of SMIL (the "Merger") and changed its name to SearchMedia.

The Complaint alleges that during the Class Period, defendants made materially false and misleading statements, and/or omitted material facts, in the joint proxy statement and prospectus (the "Joint Proxy/Prospectus") disseminated regarding the Merger, as well as in other public statements issued during the Class Period related to the Merger and SMIL. Additionally, the Complaint alleges that throughout the Class Period, defendants failed to disclose material adverse facts about SearchMedia's business, operations, and prospects. Specifically, defendants made materially false and misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) SMIL was improperly recognizing revenue; (2) certain of SMIL's accounts receivable related to sales generated primarily in the in-elevator business were uncollectible, (3) SMIL's financial results during the Class Period were materially overstated; (4) SMIL's financial results were not prepared in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles ("GAAP"); (5) SMIL lacked adequate internal and financial controls; and (6) as a result of the above, SMIL's financial statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times.

Investors that have purchased leveraged or inverse ETFs through a brokerage account or managed account offered by Merrill Lynch, a subsidiary of Bank of America (NYSE:BAC), Morgan Stanley Smith Barney (NYSE:MS), Wells Fargo Advisors (NYSE:WFC), Ameriprise Financial (NYSE:AMP), UBS (NYSE:UBS), LPL Financial, Raymond James (NYSE:RJF), Edward Jones, or other brokerage firms and have sustained losses should contact the attorneys at the Securities Arbitration Firm of Menzer & Hill, P.A. to determine if they have a claim for a recovery of losses.

Leveraged and inverse ETFs can be volatile and investors may have realized or unrealized losses in the following ETFs year to date, including but not limited to:

For a free case evaluation or to discuss any other investment losses, please contact the Securities Arbitration Firm of Menzer & Hill, P.A., at 888-923-9223, or visit us on the web at www.suemyadvisor.com.

Armstrong Teasdale LLP announces the arrival of associates Irina Sandler, Lauren Ashley Smith, and Adam R. Wuller.

“The subtle shift in the economy has brought about additional business and afforded us the opportunity to add talent,” said Michael A. Chivell, Armstrong Teasdale’s managing partner. “As we position Armstrong Teasdale as a premier firm in this region, we’ll continue to place a premium on attracting exceptional attorneys in key practice areas.”

Former legal counsel at the affiliate of Emerson Electric in Moscow, Irina Sandler joins the firm’s International practice group and will focus on international trade, import and export controls, Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and antitrust compliance. She earned her LL.M. in Intellectual Property and Technology Law from Washington University School of Law, was an Edmund S. Muskie Graduate Program Fellow at the University of Illinois College of Law, and received her Degree in Law from Russian Law Academy of the Russian Ministry of Justice.

Lauren Ashley Smith, a recent law school graduate, is a member of the firm’s Public Finance and Real Estate, and Financial Services practice groups. Drawing on her research and scholarship in land use, and state and local government law, she will focus on public/private real estate development and municipal finance. Additionally, Smith will assist lenders and other creditors seeking to maximize their recovery against debtors in litigation, liquidation, reorganization, and bankruptcy including all aspects of post-judgment collection efforts. She earned her J.D. from Washington University School of Law and her B.A. from Marquette University.

Adam R. Wuller, also a recent graduate, is a registered patent attorney with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and joins the firm’s Intellectual Property practice group. The majority of his work will involve the preparation and prosecution of U.S. and foreign patent applications in a wide range of technical disciplines, including mechanical and medical devices. Wuller received his J.D. from Saint Louis University School of Law and his B.S. in engineering physics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.