30.03.2015 Views

Declaration Of Helen J. Hodges In Support Of Lead Counsel's ...

Declaration Of Helen J. Hodges In Support Of Lead Counsel's ...

Declaration Of Helen J. Hodges In Support Of Lead Counsel's ...

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

Create successful ePaper yourself

Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.

control of <strong>Lead</strong> Counsel on August 30, 2002, and have drawn interest for the benefit of the Class<br />

since then. While the amount was agreed upon in August 2002, completing the documentation was<br />

time-consuming primarily because AWSC was going into liquidation.<br />

239. At the status conference held May 28, 2003, the Court ordered us to mediation with<br />

the banks. Our team gathered and reviewed information for the upcoming mediation. We had to<br />

evaluate not only our case against the banks, but also the other plaintiffs’ like the Tittle (ERISA)<br />

plaintiffs and the Enron estate. We consulted experts for the purpose of estimating and<br />

substantiating the investors’ losses. <strong>In</strong> addition, we gathered information about the banks’ financial<br />

condition and relative ability to meet a judgment. For purposes of the mediation we thought there<br />

was no question but that we had a solid case on liability based on the investigation to date. We had<br />

no formal discovery from the banks at that time. Judge Connor held a planning session for the<br />

mediation on June 30 in his courtroom in White Plains, New York.<br />

240. Our mediation statement was finalized in August 2003 after countless drafts and<br />

revisions to hone it in to a persuasive explanation for why the banks should pay billions to investors.<br />

As soon as ours was shipped out, we began to read the mediation statements of other plaintiffs and<br />

the defendants, which practically filled a banker’s box.<br />

241. We responded to Judge Connor’s questions regarding investors’ damages and<br />

submitted a supplement to our mediation statement at his request. Judge Connor presided over the<br />

first substantive mediation on September 29, 2003.<br />

242. We prepared for and attended the continued mediation with Judge Connor in White<br />

Plains in February 2004; those Court-ordered mediation sessions were not fruitful. However, within<br />

a few months, counsel for BofA and for Lehman contacted us regarding private mediation. We<br />

scheduled a mediation before Judge Daniel Weinstein (Ret.) at JAMS in San Francisco, and the<br />

initial meeting was May 26, 2004. <strong>In</strong> preparation for the mediation, we gathered and reviewed data<br />

- 132 -

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!