Barry S. Alberts is a partner in the Chicago office of Schiff Hardin LLP. He concentrates his practice in civil litigation, including general business litigation. He has been involved in a wide range of litigation matters in both federal and state courts, as well as in private arbitrations. Mr. Alberts regularly represents corporations, corporate officers, and directors, as well as lawyers and law firms, in a wide variety of litigation matters in both federal and state courts.

His practice has included the representation of lawyers and law firms in connection with professional liability claims, and in civil actions involving charges of common law fraud, securities fraud, violations of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (“RICO”), and breaches of fiduciary duties. He also has experience in litigating trust and will contests and a wide variety of contract and common law business tort actions.

Mr. Alberts earned a B.A. cum laude from Miami University in 1968 and his J.D. from the University of Chicago School of Law in 1971.

Simon M. Lorne is vice chairman and chief legal officer of Millennium Partners, L.P., a multi-strategy New York-based hedge fund, with primary responsibility for the development, enhancement and oversight of the internal control environment as well as preparation for and attention to the evolving regulatory environment for hedge funds.

Prior to joining Millennium, he was at Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP, Los Angeles, from 1970 to 1993 and again from 1999 to 2004, serving as partner from 1972. Mr. Lorne’s practice focused on corporate transactions (mergers & acquisitions, corporate finance, etc.) and corporate governance issues, particularly special committee and audit committee reviews and examinations.

From 1993 to 1996, he was general counsel for the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC). The general counsel is the SEC’s principal legal officer.

Between 1996 and 1999, Mr. Lorne was managing director, Salomon Brothers and Salomon Smith Barney, New York (now Citigroup Global Markets, Inc.).

Mr. Lorne received his J.D. magna cum laude from the University of Michigan Law School in 1970 and an A.B. from Occidental College in 1967.

Charles C. Platt is a partner with the law firm of Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP in the firm’s Litigation and Controversy and Securities Departments, and the co-chair of the Complex Commercial Litigation Practice Group. He joined the firm in 2003. Mr. Platt is a leading commercial litigator, recognized nationally for his defense work in class action matters for insurance companies and other financial service institutions.

Mr. Platt focuses on defending financial services and insurance companies in complex commercial litigation. He has extensive experience in a wide variety of civil litigation matters, ranging from complex securities and consumer fraud class actions to internal investigations and corporate control contests. He has defended numerous companies in class actions regarding financial and retirement products and services, and has tried cases raising contract, tortious interference, fraudulent conveyance and other commercial issues.

Mr. Platt has recently won several well-publicized class action cases on behalf of major financial services companies, either by prevailing on motions to dismiss and for summary judgment, or by defeating class certification. He is currently representing companies in securities and ERISA class actions, and an asset management company in subprime mortgage litigation. His recent appellate experience includes successful appeals to the Ninth Circuit on class action tolling and the Securities Litigation Uniform Standards Act and Fifth Circuit victories dismissing a “market timing” class action and a major sales practice case.

Mr. Platt received a B.A. from the University of Virginia in 1975 and his J.D. in 1979 from Brooklyn Law School.

Karen J. Shimp is senior counsel for the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Ms. Shimp received her B.S. from West Virginia Wesleyan College and her J.D. from Harvard University.