DAYTON, Ohio (AP) -- Ohio Attorney General Richard Cordray has selected a Dayton law firm as co-counsel in a federal class-action lawsuit against Bank of America Corp. by five public pension systems.

Former Montgomery County Democratic chairman Dennis Lieberman is a partner in the firm. Cordray, a Democrat, says he picked Lieberman's firm for experience, not politics. Cordray will be able to appoint counsel if Ohio is named lead plaintiff in the case. The case is potentially lucrative.

The pension systems accuse the bank of failing to disclose material information related to its acquisition of Merrill Lynch & Co. The funds say they lost $274 million.

Bank of America spokesman Scott Silvestri has said the bank acted legally and appropriately.