MERGER MANIA CONTINUES: Piper Rudnick LLP and Gray Cary Wareand Freidenrich LLP, today announced a merger that will create one of the largest law firms in the United States. The new firm will be named "Piper Rudnick Gray Cary LLP." With more than 1,300 lawyers, the combined firm will become one of the 10 largest law firms in the U.S. The firm will have 20 offices located in various business and technology markets throughout the country and projected revenues for 2004 that will approach $800 million, which would have placed the merged firm sixth in last year's AmLaw 100, which ranks U.S. law firms based on revenues. The merger, which takes effect on January 1, 2005, was announced jointlyby Piper Rudnick's co-chairs, Francis B. Burch Jr., and Lee I. Miller, andGray Cary's chairman and CEO, J. Terence O'Malley.