Fort Lauderdale, Florida – April 30, 2008– The civil litigation firm of Conrad & Scherer LLP has opened a new office in Quito, Ecuador to help facilitate a number of ongoing human rights cases filed on behalf of clients in Latin America.

The law firm also recently established an office in Washington, D.C., managed by international human rights attorney Terry Collingsworth.

Scherer said his firm is dedicated to ensuring corporate accountability for its Latin American clients.  “While many companies conduct their Latin American business in a responsible manner, a few decide they can violate the law and the required standards of care with impunity,” he said.

From complicity in gross human rights violations to environmental disasters, Scherer said the firm represents individuals, families, cooperatives, companies, unions, indigenous groups and governments in actions to hold multinational corporations accountable for wrongful conduct.

The firm’s ongoing lawsuits include an action brought against Chiquita on behalf of families of 173 workers murdered by paramilitaries, alleging that Chiquita was complicit in the murders by forcing the workers to turn to paramilitaries as "protection."

The firm is also representing hundreds of victims in a lawsuit brought against Dyncorp for allegedly over spraying toxic defoliant under its contract with Colombian government to participate in Plan Colombia. The suit alleges the spraying, as part of the Colombian drug eradication program, caused death, injury and damage to Ecuadorian border provinces. In another case, Scherer and Collingsworth are jointly trying a case against ExxonMobil in Washington federal court this June for alleged human rights abuses in Indonesia.
On the firm’s international team with Scherer and Collingsworth are partners William R. Scherer III and Jeff Frazier.  Scherer III, an experienced civil rights attorney, is AV rated by Martindale-Hubbell and also practices in the areas of employment litigation and personal injury.

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Conrad & Scherer, founded in 1974, is a Florida law firm specializing in complex litigation for both plaintiffs and defendants in state and federal courts. The firm provides experienced representation in areas including commercial and banking litigation, personal injury, general liability, labor and employment law, medical malpractice and health law and international law. Based on Conrad & Scherer’s expertise, competence and integrity, Martindale-Hubbell has given the firm an AV rating, its highest rating, which is reserved for highly experienced firms preeminent in their fields. The firm is located at 633 S. Federal Highway, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, 33301, Phone: 954.462.5500, Web: www. conradscherer.com.