Neighboring Law Firms Weigh In on Turning Back Time

Washington, DC – April 13, 2004: Two area law firms are putting a new twist on the long-fought battle of the bulge.

Employees at Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP’s Washington, DC office and Washington, DC-based Crowell & Moring LLP are pitted against each other in a race to lose pounds and boost wellness as part of the first annual Fried Frank/Crowell & Moring Fitness Challenge 2004. The Challenge, which began on April 1, is a 10-week wellness incentive program designed to motivate firm employees to live healthier lives. The Challenge was inspired by Fried Frank’s three previous internal fitness challenges, and it marks the first time that the two firms have gone head-to-head in the wellness arena.

Fried Frank, which has challenged its employees in the past with comprehensive health events, is “Turning Back the Hands of Time” for the second year in a row with a program that was specifically designed and implemented by the Office of Associate Development and the Human Resources Department. Crowell & Moring welcomed participation in the Challenge as a way to invigorate and expand its existing wellness programs.

“Not only are we happy to promote good health and fitness in our firm, but teaming with Crowell & Moring will motivate all participants to step up to the challenge with the encouragement and support of colleagues and teammates,” said Alan Kaden, the DC office’s managing partner and a Challenge participant. “Almost half of our employees have signed up for this Challenge, demonstrating its increasing popularity within the firm.”

“We were delighted to join Fried Frank in the Fitness Challenge and add an element of good-natured competition to our firm’s focus on wellness,” said firm chairman John Macleod. “With 192 people in the DC office participating, we’re thrilled to see the level of enthusiasm about this first-ever Challenge.”

All Challenge participants kick off the program with a private assessment by trainers from F 2.U.E.L., Inc., which is partnering with the firms. Assessments establish each challenger’s “fitness age”—as opposed to chronological age. Four-person teams then gain weekly points for healthy eating, exercise activities and wellness education programs held at the firms’ offices.

At the end of the program, the challengers will have their fitness ages reassessed by the trainers, who will calculate each team’s improvement during the program. To win, either Fried Frank or Crowell & Moring will need to lose, on average, more years in terms of fitness age than the other firm’s participants.

“Participants in this event will commit to improving all behaviors—from eating healthier meals to exercising and attending a series of health-related educational seminars,” said Claire Karsevar, Fried Frank’s program manager. “The competitive spirit you can usually find in a law firm environment will help participants achieve their fitness goals.”

Each firm is offering incentives to its participants. The Fried Frank winning team will be the one with the highest total point score, and each member of the four-person winning team will receive the Grand Prize, a free yearlong membership at a local fitness club. The Crowell & Moring winning team will also be the group with the highest total point score, and each of its members will receive their choice of a free yearlong membership at a local fitness club or personal training visits.

###

Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP is a leading international law firm with approximately 500 attorneys in offices in New York, Washington, DC, Los Angeles, London and Paris. It handles major matters involving, among others, corporate transactions, including mergers and acquisitions and private equity, securities offerings and financings, international transactions, asset management and corporate governance; litigation, including general commercial litigation, securities and shareholder litigation, white collar criminal defense and internal investigations, intellectual property litigation, qui tam and RICO defense matters, takeover and proxy fight litigation, environmental matters and domestic and international arbitration and alternative dispute resolution; antitrust counseling and litigation; bankruptcy and restructuring; real estate; securities regulation, compliance and enforcement; government contracts compliance and litigation; benefits and compensation; intellectual property and technology; tax; financial institutions; and trusts and estates. Visit Fried Frank online at www.friedfrank.com .

###

Crowell & Moring LLP is a multi-practice law firm with more than 300 attorneys committed to solving legal problems and providing business solutions efficiently and effectively for our clients, which include Fortune 100 companies and multinational corporations across a range of industries. Our practices include antitrust counseling and litigation, government contracts, intellectual property transactions and litigation, healthcare law and large-scale litigation, particularly in the area of torts and product liability. Based in Washington, DC, the firm also has offices in Brussels, California and London.