March 30, 1993
MR. LEONARD A SLOANE
Dear Mr. Sloane:
PERSONAL AND CONFIDENTIAL

I am pleased to inform you that you have been awarded the Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory's highest accolade: an AV rating. This is as a result of an extensive, confidential review conducted among the legal profession in your community.

Your AV rating is important because it is a public confirmation of the status you have achieved as a highly respected, ethical member of the Bar. It signifies that your legal abilities are of the very highest standard and that your professional ethics and conduct are above question.

You now join a select group of attorneys who have been recognized by their peers for their legal expertise and professional reputations. Your rating will be included in the Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory in print, on CD-ROM and on-line through the LEXIS service.

Martindale-Hubbell has gone to considerable lengths to confirm the validity of your rating. To maintain the accuracy of ratings, periodic reevaluations are conducted.

If you have any questions about your rating or other aspects of Martindale-Hubbell's services, please do not hesitate to give us a call. Your comments, suggestions and ideas will help us better serve you in the future.

Our congratulations to you on your new rating.

Sincerely,
John Agel
Vice President, Ratings
TBILTA

EXPLANATION OF RATINGS

Legal Ability and General Recommendation Ratings have appeared in the Directory for over 100 years, with a company imperative to publish fair and accurate ratings for as many lawyers as possible, subscribers and non-subscribers alike. While the vast majority of rating reviews are initiated by the Company, we will undertake an inquiry upon request. If a lawyer requests in writing, a rating will not be published.

Legal Ability Ratings are: "A" (from Very High to Preeminent), "B" (from High to Very High), "C" (from Fair to High). General Recommendation Rating is: "V" (Very High). Unless a rating is established in both categories, no rating will be published.

Martindale-Hubbell develops its ratings for individual lawyers by soliciting confidential opinions from members of the Bar, including those who themselves have ratings and those who do not. In addition, members of the Judiciary are queried. Respondents to written questionnaires and personal interviews are requested to base their opinions on the following:

LEGAL ABILITY RATING: Based on the standard of ability for the place or area where the lawyer practices, it takes into consideration experience, nature of practice and qualifications relevant to the profession. Where a lawyer's practice is limited or specialized, rating opinions are made on the basis of performance in those Fields of Law. There are no minimum periods of time in practice required for any rating.

GENERAL ETHICAL STANDARDS RATING: Embraces faithful adherence to professional standards of conduct and ethics of the legal profession, professional reliability and diligence, and standards relevant to the attorney's discharge of his or her professional responsibilities.
Legal Ability and General Recommendation ratings appearing in the Directory reflect strictly confidential opinions and responses to professionally developed surveys and adhere to meticulously monitored research principles and practices. Martindale-Hubbell does not make any independent evaluation of lawyers, depending exclusively upon the opinions expressed by its confidential sources.

FIRM RATING: Generally, a law firm will be accorded the rating of its highest rated principal.
As a general rule, ratings are transferable within state boundaries. Ratings may be transferred inter-state with the symbol indicating the rating was obtained in another State or Province.
It is company policy to conduct regular periodic reviews of all ratings to insure accuracy. Where supporting opinions are received, appropriate action (such as deleting or lowering a rating) is taken to fulfill our obligation to the users of the Directory.

There is never any payment to lawyers and judges who participate in Ratings reviews. The process is a cooperative service to the Bar. It has always been Martindale-Hubbell policy to treat all phases of the ratings review process as absolutely confidential. Sources contacted participate with that understanding and under no circumstances will any review materials ever be released.

MARTINDALE-HUBBELL
A Division of Reed Publishing (USA) Inc.
May we suggest that you retain this card for future reference.
Form 9101