On July 1, 2008, Chief Judge Patricia C. Fawsett of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida appointed Bernstein Liebhard LLP to act as sole lead counsel in Plumbers & Pipefitters Local 51 Pension Fund v. Darden Restaurants, Inc., Civ. No. 08-388 (M.D. Fla.), a securities class action. The Firm represents the Carpenters Pension Trust Fund for Northern California and the Carpenters Annuity Trust Fund for Northern California, which the Court appointed as lead plaintiffs. The Court ordered the filing of a consolidated class action complaint no later than September 2, 2008.