TEXAS TOBACCO-SUIT LAWYERS REPORTEDLY GET $3.3 BILLION

DALLAS - The lawyers involved in the Texas tobacco settlement have
been awarded nearly $3.3 billion by a national arbitration panel, The
Dallas Morning News reported today.

The decision, which the newspaper said is the largest attorney fee
award in U.S. history, means Texas will not have to pay any money to
the five plaintiffs' lawyers. The money will come from tobacco companies.

The panel, appointed by cigarette makers and a group of trial lawyers,
deliberated 15 hours yesterday in Washington before agreeing to give
the attorneys 19 percent of the $17.3 billion settlement reached
earlier this year, the newspaper reported, citing lawyers familiar
with the case.

The award was nearly $1 billion more than called for in the original
contract, but it is considerably less than the $6 billion to $25
billion that the lawyers requested last weekend.

The Texas lawyers should get their first $200 million paycheck
Tuesday.

Texas, Florida, Minnesota and Mississippi reached settlements for a
combined $40 billion before a national settlement, valued at $206
billion, was reached for the remaining 46 states seeking reimbursement
for treating sick smokers.

Checked-by: Rich O'Grady