Two Accomplished Litigators Join Patton Boggs Growing Office Adds to Firm's Presence in New York

NEW YORK, March 24 /PRNewswire/ -- Patton Boggs has announced the addition of two experienced litigators as partners in its New York office. Daniel R. Murdock, a former Chief Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Southern District of New York, and Philip M. Smith join the firm with broad and wide-ranging trial capabilities that will complement the New York office as it continues to increase its footprint in New York City.

Mr. Murdock has had extensive experience as lead defense counsel in a variety of complex civil and criminal litigation. Notably, he has served as lead defense counsel in some of the country's largest securities fraud class actions, including the complex Michael Milken-Drexel securities litigation, the multibillion dollar lawsuits arising out of the Washington Public Power Supply System bond default, and the $4 billion Bre-X Indonesian gold scandal.

Mr. Murdock previously served as chairman of Winston & Strawn's litigation department in New York, and chairman of the litigation department at Donovan Leisure Newton & Irvine. Following law school, he was an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Criminal Division in the Southern District of New York. Mr. Murdock received his B.A. from Hamilton College and his L.L.B. from Harvard Law School.

Mr. Smith brings more than 17 years of experience in representing both defendants and plaintiffs in complex litigation, governmental investigations and proceedings, cross-border disputes, and insolvency matters. Mr. Smith has represented several prominent foreign financial institutions, one of the largest foreign makers and retailers of eyewear, and one of the world's largest tobacco manufacturers in complex class actions, securities claims, and regulatory enforcement actions. He was also involved in defending a prominent businessman and his family worldwide in disputes arising out of the seizure of the BCCI bank. Mr. Smith graduated with an A.B. from Columbia College and earned his J.D. from Fordham University School of Law.

Combined, Messrs. Murdock and Smith have handled hundreds of state and federal actions, trials, and appeals; NASD, NYSE, AAA, and other private arbitrations; and SEC, Federal Reserve, FDIC, DOJ, and other administrative and criminal investigations and enforcement actions. At Patton Boggs they will continue to focus their practices on complex commercial and securities litigation, antitrust class actions, securities regulatory enforcement, cross- border disputes, and white-collar criminal defense.

"We are very fortunate to have Dan and Phil join this firm," said Jim Tyrrell, managing partner for the New York and New Jersey offices of Patton Boggs. "Both men bring outstanding experience to the table and their contributions will be immediate. Dan and Phil are highly respected litigators. Their addition is in furtherance of a strategic goal of growing our litigation capabilities, not just in New York but nationally."

Patton Boggs LLP

Based in Washington, D.C., Patton Boggs is a national leader in public policy, litigation, and business law, and is well known for its deep bipartisan roots in the national political arena. The firm's core practice areas are Public Policy and Regulatory, Litigation, Business, and Intellectual Property. With offices in Northern Virginia, New Jersey, New York, Dallas, Denver, Anchorage, and internationally in Doha, Qatar, more than 600 lawyers and professionals provide comprehensive, practical, and cost-effective legal counsel to clients around the globe. For more information, visit us at http://www.pattonboggs.com.