exhibit A FINRA DISPUTE RESOLUTION, INC. x In the Matter of the Arbitration Between: FINANCIAL TRUST COMPANY, INC. and THE C.O.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 EFTA00284609

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. Seeieksiler 21 -) ao 11 Dated. ire , 2011 Susman Godfrey LLP By:5 L1/44-4AU1/4"--- -- By: Stephen D. Susman 560 Lexington Avenue, 15th Floor New York, New York 10022 Counsel for Claimants Stephen M. Sinaiko 1177 Avenue of the Americas New York, New York 10036 Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer US LLP By: ikar If-Ast4.,4t4 Marshall . 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 Steams Asset Management Inc. - 2 - EFTA00284610

Wachtel!, Lipton, Rosen & Katz By: David B. Anders 51 West 52nd Street New York, Ncw York 10019 Counsel for Warren Spector - 3 - EFTA00284611

FINRA-DR Case No. 09-00979 FINRA DISPUTE RESOLUTION, INC. In the Matter of the Arbitration Between: FINANCIAL TRUST COMPANY, INC. and THE C.O.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 LEVINNAFTALIS & FRANKEL LLP Attorneys jor The Bear Stearns Companies Inc., Bear, Stearns Co. Inc. and Bear Stearns Asset Management Inc. 1177 Avenue of the 'cos New Y ew York 10036 All corm' d to: Steve M. Sinaiko KU 2646509.1 EFTA00284612