Sometime back I asked if any posters were familiar with the EC's reputation and results. I've come across many lawyers in my life and only a minority are looking for a fight. Most of the ones I've dealt with want to settle quickly. This is even more so if they are successful since, like any business, they prefer high profit margins and fast turnover. In hindsight we needed a lawyer, not a scientist, to run things. Most scientists are ready to spend years to find one answer, and at 12%+ our worst enemy was time.