"In these troubling economic times, now more than ever, our clients take great comfort knowing our deep-bench of experienced attorneys is here to successfully and efficiently represent their interests," said Stamboulidis who will manage the operations of the 66-attorney office. “Clients can rely on Baker Hostetler’s track record of integrity and results,” he said.

“George Stamboulidis is ideally suited to head our rapidly growing office in New York,” said Steven Kestner, Executive Partner of the firm. “He understands the workings as well as the culture of both the city and our firm, and he is a proven leader. I am confident that the office will continue to flourish under George as it has under Paul Eyre.”

Eyre led the New York office during a period of remarkable growth. “We have grown the New York office by assembling a diverse team of high caliber attorneys and by maintaining our culture of integrity and client focus,” says Eyre, who will remain active in the New York office and on the firm's Policy Committee.

About George Stamboulidis

George Stamboulidis joined the firm with the opening of the New York office after an illustrious 13-year career as a federal prosecutor in New York and New Jersey. He has been selected as an independent monitor on five separate occasions, more than any other attorney. In addition to having served as the corporate monitor for Merrill Lynch, The Bank of New York, Mellon Bank, and others, Stamboulidis and the firm’s white collar team have conducted monitoring work and internal investigations for leading corporations.

While with the U.S. Attorneys' Office in the Eastern District of NY, Stamboulidis served in a variety of supervisory positions, including Chief of the Long Island Division. In that capacity, he investigated and prosecuted cases involving complex business, bank, health care, accounting, securities and bankruptcy fraud, tax, public and labor corruption, extortion, racketeering, environmental and money laundering offenses. Stamboulidis successfully prosecuted Mafia boss Vincent "Chin" Gigante, the boss of the Genovese crime family.

After a nationwide search, former U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno selected Stamboulidis to take over and successfully resolve the Wen Ho Lee nuclear weapons secrets prosecution. Reno three times presented Stamboulidis with the Department of Justice's Director's Award. Over the last seven years at Baker, Stamboulidis has served as Litigation Coordinator for the office, is a current member of the firm’s Policy Committee and Operating Group and heads the firm's White Collar Defense and Corporate Investigations Practice — which has become one of the preeminent such practices in the country.

About Baker Hostetler’s New York Office

With 66 attorneys and growing, Baker Hostetler has established a stronghold in New York. Last year, the firm moved to new offices, occupying several floors at 45 Rockefeller Plaza.

In addition to Stamboulidis, New York office management includes John Siegal, who succeeds Stamboulidis as head of the Litigation Practice in New York, Laurence S. Markowitz, the newly appointed head of the Business Practice in New York, Gerald J. Ferguson, head of the Intellectual Property Practice in New York and Elizabeth A. Smith, head of the Tax Practice in New York. All are long-time New York lawyers. Siegal, a 20-year New York business litigator and former Mayoral aide, represents clients in the financial services, media and real estate industries. Markowitz has practiced corporate and securities law for over 30 years, with a particular focus on hedge and private equity funds. Ferguson has extensive experience in intellectual property and has assisted a wide variety of businesses in developing intellectual property protection programs. Smith focuses her practice in the areas of tax advice and planning and tax controversy, and represents hedge funds, energy companies, and public and private corporations.

About Baker Hostetler
Founded over 90 years ago in 1916, Baker Hostetler is among the nation’s 100 largest law firms with 620 attorneys coast to coast. The firm has 10 offices nationwide: New York, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Costa Mesa, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Orlando and Washington, D.C. Its five primary practice groups are Business, Employment, Intellectual Property, Litigation and Tax. For more information, visit the firm’s Web site at www.bakerlaw.com.