But when the two parties announced they had agreed to stay together, Block took the lead and it was that company's prepared statement that went into the press section on M&P's Web site on after the stock market close of December 11. At the same time, the July release about the proposed termination disappeared from the M&P page.

Questions about the removal of the press release were referred to corporate counsel Rick Miller, who did not return calls. Then by December 19, the announcement about the extension of the Block relationship had also vanished from the M&P press section. Meanwhile, the Block Web site continues to display a release dated July 22 that announced that it had received M&P's notification of the firm's intent to end the Administrative Services agreement in 210 days as well as the recent statement that the two had come to terms.

M&P has no posted press releases since one 15 months ago about the appointment of new partners.