Perkins Coie Continues Denver Growth by Hiring Another Top Litigator – Richard S. Vermeire, Alumnus of the U.S. Attorney's Office and SEC, Joins the Firm

DENVER (November 4, 2003) – Responding to growing demand for corporate governance counsel and litigation services in the post-Enron era, Perkins Coie LLP has hired Richard S. Vermeire, former Assistant U.S. Attorney in Denver and Washington, DC, and former Chief Trial Counsel for the Denver regional office of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Vermeire is the fourth alumnus of the United States Attorney's office the firm has hired in 2003 as it continues to expand its commercial litigation and white collar defense practice. He joined the firm's Denver office on August 1 from the firm Moye Giles O'Keefe Vermeire & Gorrell, LLP, where he had been Chair of the Litigation group and a member of the firm's management committee. Also moving to Perkins Coie with Vermeire is Of Counsel Len MacPhee.

"Rich provides tremendous additional depth and experience for our clients," said Randy Parcel, Managing Partner in Denver, "and he marks another important point as we continue to expand our footprint here."

The Denver office has grown from 13 to 33 attorneys since 2000 and Vermeire is one of 18 commercial litigators there. The other alumni of the U.S. Attorney's office hired by Perkins Coie this year are Bob Miller, who was United States Attorney for Colorado, and Lawrence Oliver and Brian Ellis, who joined the Chicago office from the U.S. Attorney's office in Illinois. They work as well with a large team of commercial and white collar litigators in Seattle and Washington, D.C.

Vermeire is well-known for having prosecuted a number of penny stock fraud cases in the 1980s, including having secured a fraud judgment before the Hon. Richard Matsch against the notorious Blinder Robinson firm.

"I'm excited to be part of the Perkins Coie litigation team," said Vermeire "I'm excited to be part of the Perkins Coie litigation team. This law firm's excellent reputation and national presence will provide me a stronger platform on which to continue to develop and enhance my legal practice and areas of expertise."