Exhibit A FINRA DISPUTE RESOLUTION, INC. a a eee=E" In the Matter of the Arbitration Between: : FINANCIAL TRUST COMPANY, INC. and THE C.0.U.Q. FOUNDATION, INC., FINRA-DR Case Claimants, - and - : STIPULATION OF DISMISSAL THE BEAR STEARNS COMPANIES INC., BEAR, WITH PREJUDICE STEARNS & CO. INC., BEAR STEARNS ASSET — : MANAGEMENT INC. and WARREN SPECTOR, Respondents. EFTA00284609

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IT IS HEREBY STIPULATED AND AGREED, by the parties to this arbitration, through their undersigned counsel, that this arbitration be and it hereby is dismissed in its entirety with prejudice, with each party to bear its own attorneys’ fees and costs, pursuant to Rule 12700 of the Code of Arbitration Procedure for Customer Disputes. 2 eres: LMC ZF, oll Susman Godfrey LLP . Kramer or Sheglinn DeacacwA— By: S tephen D. Susman Stephen M. Sinaiko 560 Lexington Avenue, 15th Floor 1177 Avenue of the Americas New York, New York 10022 New York, New York 10036 a Pe Counsel for Claimants Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer US LLP By: Marshall H. Fishman Gabrielle L. Gould 520 Madison Avenue, 34th Floor New York, New York 10022 Co-Counsel for The Bear Stearns Companies Inc., Bear, Stearns & Co. Inc. and Bear Stearns Asset Management Inc. EFTA00284610

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Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz David B. Anders 51 West 52nd Street New York, New York 10019 Counsel for Warren Spector EFTA00284611

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FINRA-DR Case No. 09-00979 FINRA DISPUTE RESOLUTION, INC. In the Matter of the Arbitration Between: FINANCIAL TRUST COMPANY, INC, and THE C.0.U.Q. FOUNDATION, INC., Claimants, - and - THE BEAR STEARNS COMPANIES INC., BEAR, STEARNS & CO. INC., BEAR STEARNS ASSET MANAGEMENT INC. and WARREN SPECTOR, Respondents. STIPULATION OF DISMISSAL WITH PREJUDICE KRAMER LEVIN NAFTALIS & FRANKEL LLP Attorneys for The Bear Stearns Companies Inc,, Bear, Stearns & Co. Inc. and Bear Stearns Asset Management Inc. 1177 Avenue of the Americas New York, New York 10036 All sl fo: Steve M. Sinaiko KL3 2846509.1 EFTA00284612