[Illustration of Defense Table:  Left to Right: Joel Sanders, defense counsel Cesar de Castro, Elkan Abramowiz ( foreground), Stephen DiCarmine, Jasmine Juteau,( foreground) , Austin Campriello, Steven Davis, Anne Redcross and Amanda Bassen (of Mr Sander's defense team.) -- by illustratedcourtroom.blogspot.com]

October 2007: Dewey Ballantine merges with LeBoeuf, Lamb, Greene & MacRae, a rare marriage of top New York law firms. At the time, the combined company had about 1,300 attorneys and annual revenue of close to $1 billion.

Late 2008: Because of weak financial performance, the firm is unable to meet the minimum year-end cash flow requirement set by its lenders. Executives are accused of devising a “Master Plan” by which they allegedly begin using improper accounting adjustments to create revenue and inflate net income.

2009: Financial performance continues to deteriorate, and executives seek a waiver from its lenders. Banks adjust terms, but additional conditions exert more financial pressure.

April 2010: Firm refinances its debt with $250 million from banks and insurance companies. The role of 3 former Dewey executives - Steven Davis, former chair; Stephen DiCarmine, former executive director, and Joel Sanders, former CFO - in securing the refinancing deal becomes a key part of the eventual fraud charges.

2012: Partner defections accelerate.

Spring 2012: Manhattan DA’s investigation into the firm’s practices becomes public. Meanwhile, merger talks with potential partners dry up.

May 2012: Dewey files for bankruptcy protection, the largest law firm failure in U.S. history. The firm owed $315 million to creditors.

March 2014: Criminal charges are brought against the 3 former Dewey executives, accusing them of fraud.

September 2015: Trial for the former executives concludes and goes to the jury.

Oct. 7, 2015: The jury delivers a partial verdict, finding each Dewey defendant not guilty on multiple charges of falsifying business records but remaining deadlocked on more than 100 charges against the trio.

Oct. 13, 2015: Jury clears the former law firm executives of more counts but still needs to decide on more than 90 counts, including grand larceny.

Oct. 19, 2015: Judge declares mistrial.