Oct. 23 (Bloomberg) -- Milberg, a New York-based law firm that represents individual and institutional investors, hired New York University professor Arthur Miller to head its appellate practice.

Miller joined Milberg's New York headquarters in the salaried position of special counsel and will retain his post at NYU, the firm said in a statement yesterday.

``I believe deeply in the importance of providing effective legal representation for people and groups who traditionally have been under-represented. That is why I joined Milberg,'' Miller said in the statement. ``It fights tirelessly for justice on behalf of consumers and investors, and, given today's economic climate, that battle has never been more important.''

Federal prosecutors indicted the firm, then called Milberg Weiss Bershad & Schulman, two years ago on charges it illegally paid clients kickbacks to file securities-fraud cases. Milberg agreed in June to pay $75 million to settle the charges. Former partners Mel Weiss, William Lerach, David Bershad and Steven Schulman pleaded guilty.

Before joining NYU in 2007, Miller taught at Harvard Law School for 36 years, according to the statement. He has argued many federal appellate cases, the firm said, including Tellabs v. Makor Issues & Rights, a U.S. Supreme Court case that resulted in tighter limits on fraud lawsuits by shareholders. Miller represented the shareholders.

To contact the reporter on this story: Cynthia Cotts in New York at ccotts@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: October 23, 2008 00:01 EDT