On October 29, the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform (ILR) presented its 2008 Legal Reform Award for Outstanding Research to Professor Michael Perino of St. John’s University School of Law. Prof. Perino was honored for his work in the areas of securities regulation, securities fraud, and class action litigation.
Prof. Perino was the author of a May 2008 article entitled, “The Milberg Weiss Prosecution: No Harm, No Foul?” The article used a database of approximately 730 class action settlements and fee awards to examine the Milberg Weiss indictment in detail and analyze whether the kickback payments in question harmed class members. According to ILR President Lisa Rickard, Prof. Perino’s “work proved that Mel Weiss and his colleagues—many of whom are currently residing in, or on their way to, federal prison—actually harmed those clients they were supposed to protect by paying out illegal kickbacks,” The Financial reports.
Prof. Perino is the Dean George W. Matheson Professor of Law at St. John’s University School of Law.