Finkelstein Thompson LLP is pleased to announce that Halley F. Ascher has become a Partner of the firm as of January 1, 2007.  Ms. Ascher joined Finkelstein Thompson in 2001 and has broad experience in the areas of Securities, Consumer Fraud, Commodities, and Antitrust Litigation.

Ms. Ascher's cases include In re Natural Gas Commodity Litigation.  This class action included allegations against twenty natural gas companies for Price Manipulation under the Commodity Exchange Act.  As of December of 2006, sixteen defendants have settled for a class recovery in excess of $72 million, and the case is still proceeding against the remaining defendants.

Most recently, Ms. Ascher is spearheading FT's role in In re Insurance Brokerage Antitrust Litigation.  This case is currently pending in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey, and involves allegations of bid-rigging in the insurance brokerage industry.