Note 9 - Commitments and Contingencies

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2012

Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Text Block]

(9)           Commitments and Contingencies

(a)           Lease Commitments

The Company and its subsidiaries lease office space and office related equipment under noncancelable operating leases with various expiration dates from 2012 through 2021.

Future minimum lease payments under the operating leases for the three months ended December 31, 2012 and in each of the years subsequent to December 31, 2012 are as follows (in thousands):

	Amount
Three months ended December 31,   2012	$	2,638
Year ended December 31:
2013		9,595
2014		8,081
2015		6,738
2016		4,087
Thereafter		5,411
Total	$	36,550

Related rent expense for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2011 was $2.1 million and $5.8 million, respectively. Related rent expense for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2012 was $2.4 million and $7.1 million, respectively.

(b)           Employee Benefit Plans

The Company and its subsidiaries sponsor separate voluntary defined contribution pension plans. The plans cover substantially all employees that meet specific age and length of service requirements. The Company and its subsidiaries have various matching and vesting arrangements within their individual plans. The Company did not record any compensation expense related to these plans for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2011.  For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2012, the Company recorded $149,000 and $380,000 in compensation expense related to these plans.

(c)           Letters of Credit

As of December 31, 2011 and September 30, 2012, the Company had $190,000 and $83,000 outstanding under letters of credit which are used to secure two of the Company’s leased office facilities.