Asbestos Expert David Austern to Address Insurance, Manufacturing and Financial Industry Professionals in Upcoming Conferences.

Business Editors

FAIRFAX, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 27, 2003

'New Wave of Asbestos Claims' Is First of Four Talks by President

of Claims Resolution Management Corporation, Creator Of

e-Claims(TM)

David Austern, one of the country's preeminent experts on asbestos claims litigation and management and president of Claims Resolution Management Corporation (CRMC), a pioneer in asbestos claims resolution and creator of e-Claims(TM) (patent pending), will speak to professionals and senior executives in the insurance, manufacturing and financial industries about the issues surrounding the growing number of asbestos claims and their dramatic effect on the United States economy in four upcoming conferences, beginning with Mealeys' Practical Training for the Claims Professional March 3-4 in Stamford, Conn.

In "Just When You Thought It Was Over: The New Wave of Asbestos Claims," Mr. Austern will brief insurance professionals on new coverage issues that have come with the ever increasing number of claims, review and analyze non-product asbestos claims, and present an overview of the London market reporting guidelines. Ellen Clark of insurance law firm Mendes & Mount LLP will join Mr. Austern in the panel discussion, to be held 10 a.m. March 3.

Mr. Austern will also be featured at the following conferences, where he will discuss the current asbestos problem, how litigation and bankruptcies are affecting businesses and the economy, as well as historical claim filing trends, recent filings, future claims forecasting, and economic incentives to file claims.

-- Manufacturers Alliance Presidents Council, March 27-28, New Orleans

-- Mealeys Wall Street Forum: Asbestos, April 15, New York City

-- Mealeys Asbestos Bankruptcy Conference, June 2-3, Philadelphia

Mr. Austern lends his extensive experience and knowledge to corporations, trusts and law firms facing asbestos or other toxic torts claims processing. He is frequently quoted in national publications and testified about the economic impact of asbestos litigation before the Senate Judiciary Committee last year.

He is also the future claimants' representative for subsidiary Combustion Engineering's pending asbestos bankruptcy. Combustion Engineering is a subsidiary of Switzerland-based ABB Ltd.

About Claims Resolution Management Corporation (CRMC)

Claims Resolution Management Corporation (CRMC), a pioneer in asbestos claims processing, guides companies, trusts and law firms through all stages of the claims resolution process for asbestos and other toxic tort personal injury claims, contribution claims, and indemnity claims.

CRMC has processed more than a half-million claims. e-Claims(TM) is the first interactive, Web-based tool to provide business intelligence and electronic claims handling services, which encompass everything from litigation and structuring of a trust to injury categorizations, claims analytics and financial management.

CRMC was created in 1999 as a wholly owned subsidiary of the Manville Trust to handle its claims processing. Staffed by former Trust employees, CRMC provides clients such as the PACOR, Eagle-Picher and UNR trusts with the knowledge, expertise, extensive data and solutions gained from 14 years' experience processing asbestos claims.

CRMC's profits are channeled back into the Trust and are used to compensate asbestos victims.

On the Net: Claims Resolution Management Corporation site: http://www.claimsres.com