Document:

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                              EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

         EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT entered into as of January 14, 2003 by and between
M.H. MEYERSON & CO., INC., a New Jersey corporation ("MHM" or "Employer"), with
offices located at Newport Office Tower, 525 Washington Boulevard, 34th Floor,
Jersey City, New Jersey 07310, and JOHN P. LEIGHTON, residing at 180 Nassau
Blvd., Garden City, New York 11530 ("Employee").

                              W I T N E S S E T H :

A. MHM is engaged in business as a registered securities broker-dealer
("Employer's Business").

B. Employer desires to employ Employee as its Chief Executive Officer, for the
purpose of exercising such authority and performing such executive duties as are
commensurate with the duties of Chief Executive Officer of Employer, as well as,
where requested by the Board of Directors of Employer, supervising or assisting
in operations of Employer's affiliates and subsidiaries. Employee's management
responsibilities shall include trading, hiring, firing, capital commitments,
budgeting, leases, major contracts, including clearing contracts, vendor
contracts, financings, borrowings and determination of salaries and bonuses of
employees and officers, subject to approval of Employer's Board of Directors
where required. In addition to the above, Employee acknowledges that management
responsibility also includes the necessity of reducing costs if the Milestones
(as hereinafter defined) are not met. These cost reductions reference
compensation to Employee as well as recruited staff and current staff.

         NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing, the parties agree as
follows:

1.       Employment

         a. During the Term of Employment as defined in Section 2, Employer
         agrees to employ Employee, as Employer's Chief Executive Officer, with
         the management responsibilities set forth in Recital B. above. Employee
         agrees to act in the foregoing capacities, in accordance with the terms
         and conditions contained in this Agreement.

         b. Employee shall devote all of Employee's working time to the
         performance of his duties under this Agreement. Employee shall render
         services, without additional compensation, in connection with the
         operation of Employer's business, including activities of affiliates
         and subsidiaries of Employer. As used in this Agreement, the term
         "affiliate" shall mean any entity or person that, directly or
         indirectly, is controlled by or under common control with Employer.

         c. In view of Employee's duties and responsibilities hereunder,
         Employee shall continue to maintain his existing licenses with the
         National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (the "NASD")
         including, without limitation, his Series 4, 7, 24, 55 and 63
         registrations, as well as to undertake to qualify for any other NASD
         license tests or applicable regulatory

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         requirements necessary or convenient to enable Employee to undertake
         and fulfill his functions, from time to time, under this Agreement.

2.       Term

         The initial term of Employee's employment under this Agreement shall be
         for a period of three (3) years, to commence on January 14, 2003 and
         end on January 13, 2006 (the "Term of Employment").

3.       Compensation

         a. Employer shall pay to Employee an annual base salary of (i) Four
         Hundred and Fifty Thousand Dollars ($450,000) for the first year of the
         Term of Employment; (ii) Six Hundred and Seventy-Five Thousand Dollars
         ($675,000) for the second year of the Term of Employment; and (iii) Six
         Hundred and Seventy-Five Thousand Dollars ($675,000) for the third year
         of the Term of Employment . All payments shall be made in equal
         bi-weekly installments, in arrears, or such other installments as may
         be consistent with the payroll practices of Employer for its Employees.

         b. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in sub-section
         (a) above, payment of the salary provided for hereunder shall not
         commence until April 14, 2003. In accordance therewith, Employee shall
         be paid the full base salary of Four Hundred and Fifty Thousand Dollars
         ($450,000) for the first year of the Term of Employment during the
         period April 14, 2003 through January 31, 2004.

4.       Additional Employee Benefits

         a. Employer shall reimburse Employee for all expenses reasonably
         incurred by Employee in connection with the performance of Employee's
         duties under this Agreement against Employee's submitted documented
         vouchers for such expenses.

         b. Employee shall be entitled to reasonable vacation periods each year,
         as the case may be, and other general medical and employee benefit,
         retirement and compensation plans (including profit sharing or pension
         plans) as shall have been established and are continuing for senior
         management. Employer shall make available to Employee either Employer's
         car and driver or a car service when necessary for the performance of
         his duties hereunder.

         c. Subject to MHM's achieving the Milestones, during the Term of
         Employment Employer shall pay Employee a semi-annual cash incentive
         bonus (the "Incentive Bonus") of twelve and one-half (12.5%) percent of
         MHM's "Income before income taxes" ("Pre-tax Earnings") as reflected in
         MHM's periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
         "SEC"). The Incentive Bonus is payable as follows: (i) the Incentive
         Bonus for the six-month period ending July 31st shall be paid thirty
         (30) days after MHM files its Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended
         July 31st of the applicable year with the SEC; and (ii) the Incentive
         Bonus for the period ending January 31st shall be paid thirty (30)

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         days after MHM's independent auditors (the "Auditors") shall have
         completed their audit of the applicable fiscal year's results.

         d. Employer shall pay Employee a performance bonus (the "Performance
         Bonus") of $1,000,000 if MHM's Revenues (as ultimately reported in
         MHM's periodic filings with the SEC) during any 12 month period during
         the Term of Employment are equal to or greater than $50,000,000 (but
         less than $100,000,000) and MHM has $3,000,000 pre-tax profit for such
         period. Employee may only receive the Performance Bonus for reaching
         the $50,000,000 target once during the Term of Employment. In the event
         that Employee receives such $1,000,000 Performance Bonus, he shall then
         be eligible to receive an additional $2,000,000 Performance Bonus
         whenever Revenues (as ultimately reported in MHM's periodic filings
         with the SEC) during any 12-month period during the Term of Employment
         (which may include Revenues earned during the time period in which the
         $1,000,000 Performance Bonus was earned) exceed $100,000,000 and MHM
         has $5,000,000 pre-tax profit for such period. Employee may only
         receive a $2,000,000 Performance Bonus once for reaching the
         $100,000,000 target during the Term of Employment. All calculations
         shall be (i) inclusive of Employee's base compensation and (ii)
         calculated after giving effect to the payment of all other cash bonuses
         to Employer's senior management. Employee shall be paid twenty-five
         (25%) percent of the Performance Bonus at the time that he becomes
         entitled to such bonus, with the balance to be paid after the Auditors
         shall have completed their audit for the fiscal year during which the
         Performance Bonus was earned

         e. All calculations of the Incentive Bonuses and Performance Bonuses
         shall be adjusted upwards or downwards, as the case may be, and any
         required additional payments by Employer or repayments by Employee of
         excess payments shall be made after the auditors shall have completed
         their audit of the applicable fiscal year's results.

         f. Concurrently with the execution of this Agreement, Employer is
         issuing to Employee three hundred seventy-five thousand (375,000)
         shares (the "Shares") of Employer's common stock, par value $.01 per
         share ("Common Stock"). The Shares are unregistered and fully vested on
         the date hereof.

         g. Concurrently with the execution of this Agreement, Employer is
         granting Employee fully-vested options to purchase three hundred
         seventy-five thousand (375,000) shares of Common Stock at an exercise
         price of $.40 per share (the "Options"). The terms and conditions
         governing the Options are set forth in the Option Agreement dated the
         date hereof, which Option Agreement will include, without limitation,
         that the grant of the Options is conditioned upon obtaining shareholder
         and, if needed, NASD approval in order to comply with applicable rules
         and regulations of the SEC, NASD and Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as
         amended, as more fully detailed in the Option Agreement.

         h. Concurrently with the execution of this Agreement, Employer is
         issuing Employee warrants to purchase 1,000,000 shares of Common Stock
         at an exercise price of $.40 per share (the "Warrants"). The Warrants
         shall vest in equal installments upon MHM's achieving the First, Second
         and/or Third Milestones. The terms and conditions governing the

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         Warrants are set forth in the Warrant Agreement dated the date hereof,
         which Warrant Agreement will include, without limitation, that the
         issuance of the Warrants is conditioned upon obtaining shareholder and,
         if needed, NASD approval in order to comply with applicable rules and
         regulations of the NASD, as more fully detailed in the Warrant
         Agreement.

         i. Employer agrees, after obtaining the shareholder approvals referred
         to in sub-clauses (g) and (h) above, to promptly file Registration
         Statements on (i) Form S-3 ( or if Form S-3 is not available, on Form
         S-1 or Form SB-2, if available) for resale of the shares of Common
         Stock issuable upon exercise of the Warrants and (ii) Form S-8 for the
         Shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Options. The
         Registration Statement on Form S-8 will include, if necessary, a
         re-sale prospectus allowing Employee to sell the shares of Common Stock
         issuable upon exercise of the Options.

         j. During the Term of Employment, if Employee introduces Employer to an
         unaffiliated third-party which consummates an acquisition transaction
         with Employer resulting in a Change of Control (as hereinafter
         defined), Employer shall upon the consummation of such transaction, as
         compensation for such introduction, pay Employee, in addition to all
         other compensation provided for hereunder and the acceleration of the
         Warrants then held by Employee, an aggregate sum of (i) Six Hundred
         Thousand Dollars ($600,000) and (ii) the sum determined by multiplying
         (x) the number of unexercised Options and Warrants then held by
         Employee, whether vested or not, by (y) the difference between (A) the
         per share price paid in the acquisition transaction (or the fair market
         value of the non-cash consideration paid if the purchase price is not
         paid in cash) and (B) the average closing price of the Common Stock on
         the NASDAQ market for the last forty-five (45) days prior to the
         consummation of the acquisition transaction. Upon payment of the
         amounts set forth in sub-clauses (i) and (ii) above and any other
         amounts then due Employee under this Agreement, with the consent of the
         acquiring entity (which consent shall be in the acquiring entity's sole
         discretion), this Agreement shall cease to have any further binding
         effect. For purposes of this Agreement, a "Change in Control" of
         Employer shall be deemed to have occurred if (i) any person, entity or
         group of persons or entities acting in concert, excluding any officer
         or director of Employer or any person or entity that directly, or
         indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls or is
         controlled by, or is under common control with any officer or director
         of Employer (collectively, a "Third Person") becomes the beneficial
         owners of 50% or more of the then outstanding shares of Common Stock of
         Employer, (ii) any Third Person holds revocable or irrevocable proxies
         entitling them to vote 50% or more of the then outstanding shares of
         Employer's Common Stock (other than the persons named as proxies in any
         Proxy Statement prepared by management of Employer in connection with
         an annual or special meeting of stockholders called by an officer or
         the Board of Directors), (iii) a merger, sale of substantially all the
         assets of Employer, share exchange, consolidation or other business
         combination (as defined in the New Jersey Business Corporation Law) of
         Employer and any other Third Person, as a result of which Employer's
         Common Stock becomes exchangeable for other securities or property or
         cash, or (iv) if a majority of the members of the Board of Directors is
         replaced during any 12-month period during the Term of Employment but
         only if the directors who replace such majority have not been elected

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         either by the remaining members of the Board of Directors or by the
         stockholders of Employer.

         k. Payment of the Incentive Bonus and vesting of the Warrants are
         subject to the following milestones (collectively, the "Milestones"):

            i. For the period commencing February 1, 2003 and ending July 31,
            2003, MHM must achieve Pre-tax Earnings of Five Hundred Thousand
            Dollars ($500,000) (the "First Milestone");

            ii. For the period commencing August 1, 2003 and ending January 31,
            2004, MHM must achieve Pre-tax Earnings of One Million Dollars
            ($1,000,000) (the "Second Milestone"); and

            iii. For the period commencing February 1, 2004 and ending July 31,
            2004, MHM must achieve Pre-tax Earnings of One Million Five Hundred
            Thousand Dollars ($1,500,000) (the "Third Milestone").

            iv. For the period commencing August 1, 2004 and ending January 31,
            2005, MHM must achieve Pre-tax Earnings of One Million Five Hundred
            Thousand Dollars ($1,500,000) (the "Fourth Milestone").

            v. For the period commencing February 1, 2005 and ending July 31,
            2005, MHM must achieve Pre-tax Earnings of One Million Five Hundred
            Thousand Dollars ($1,500,000) (the "Fifth Milestone").

            vi. For the period commencing August 1, 2005 and ending January 13,
            2006, MHM must achieve Pre-tax Earnings of One Million Five Hundred
            Thousand Dollars ($1,500,000) (the "Sixth Milestone").

         Each Milestone is an independent Milestone and must be satisfied
         separately. That is, if the First Milestone is not met, the payment for
         such First Milestone cannot be recovered based on the results for the
         Second or Third Milestone. Furthermore, results achieved during the
         period comprising the First Milestone shall not be counted towards the
         Second Milestone. For example, if for the period comprising the First
         Milestone pre-tax earnings are Four Hundred Thousand Dollars
         ($400,000), the First Milestone has not been met. In order to meet the
         Second Milestone, MHM must have pre-tax earnings of One Million Dollars
         ($1,000,000) during the period comprising the Second Milestone, without
         including the Four Hundred Thousand Dollars ($400,000) achieved during
         the First Milestone.

         l. Employee acknowledges that payment of the Incentive Bonus and/or a
         Performance Bonus could have an adverse impact on Employer's ability to
         maintain compliance with the net capital rules promulgated under the
         Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Net Capital Rules").
         Accordingly, Employer and Employee agree that if payment or accrual for
         payment of the amount due pursuant to an Incentive Bonus or a
         Performance Bonus

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         would cause Employer to have less than One Million Five Hundred
         Thousand Dollars ($1,500,000) in Net Capital (as defined under the Net
         Capital Rules), Employer shall only be required to pay Employee, or
         accrue for payment, such amount of the Incentive Bonus or Performance
         Bonus as would allow Employer to maintain Net Capital of not less than
         One Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($1,500,000) and the balance
         of such Incentive Bonus or Performance Bonus shall be forfeited by
         Employee.

         m. Notwithstanding MHM's failure to meet the First Milestone or Second
         Milestone, if such failure occurs, if at any time during the period
         commencing February 1, 2003 and ending July 31, 2004, MHM's "Income
         before income taxes" as reflected in MHM's periodic filings with the
         SEC aggregate Three Million Dollars ($3,000,000), all Warrants shall be
         accelerated and fully vested.

         n. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in the foregoing,
         in no event shall Employee's aggregate annual cash compensation exceed
         fifty (50%) percent of MHM's Pre-tax Earnings for any given year during
         the Term of Employment.

5.       Termination.

         a. Employer may terminate this Agreement for cause.

         b. "Cause" within the meaning of this Agreement shall mean any one or
         more of the following:

             i. Employee's breach of any of the material provisions of this
             Agreement; or

             ii. Employee's failure or refusal to follow any specific material
             written directions of Employer's Board of Directors (which
             directions include a statement to the effect that failure or
             refusal to follow such directions shall constitute cause for
             termination of the employment of Employee hereunder); or

             iii. Employee's failure or refusal to perform Employee's duties in
             accordance with Recital B or Section 1 hereof, provided Employee
             shall have been given written notice by Employer's Board of
             Directors of such failure or refusal to perform these duties and
             three business days within which to cure the same; or

             iv. Failure by Employee to comply in any material respect with the
             terms of any provision contained in this Agreement, if any, or any
             written policies or directives of Employer's Board of Directors,
             provided Employee shall have been given written notice of such
             failure or refusal to perform these duties and three business days
             within which to cure the same; or

             v. Physical incapacity or disability of Employee to perform the
             services required to be performed under this Agreement. For
             purposes of this Section 5(b)(v), Employee's incapacity or
             disability to perform such services for any cumulative

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             period of ninety (90) days during any twelve-month period, or for
             any consecutive period of sixty (60) days, shall be deemed "cause"
             hereunder; or

             vi. Employee is convicted of, pleads guilty or no contest to, or
             admits or confesses to any felony or any act of fraud,
             misappropriation or embezzlement; or

             vii. Employee engages in an intentional fraudulent act or dishonest
             act to the damage or prejudice of Employer and/or its affiliates or
             in conduct or activities damaging to the property, business or
             reputation of Employer and/or its affiliates; or

             viii. If Employee is registered or licensed with the NASD or any
             other regulatory authority, federal or state, and has violated any
             applicable rule of any such regulatory authority.

         c. If Employer notifies Employee of its election to terminate this
         Agreement for cause, this termination shall become effective at the
         time notice is deemed to have been given in accordance with Section 9.

         d. This Agreement shall automatically terminate upon the death of
         Employee.

         e. Employer may terminate this Agreement without cause upon giving
         Employee fourteen (14) days' prior written notice. If this Agreement is
         terminated without cause, (i) Employer shall pay Employee all base
         salary that would have been paid to Employee if he completed the Term
         of Employment, (ii) Employee shall be entitled to payment of the
         Incentive Bonus provided for in Section 4(c) hereof if the applicable
         Milestone is met; (iii) Employee shall be entitled to payment of a
         Performance Bonus provided for in Section 4(d) hereof if the required
         Revenues targets are achieved, and (iv) the Warrants shall be fully
         vested. In the event that Employer does not make any of the foregoing
         cash payments when due, interest shall accrue on such unpaid amount in
         the amount of the then-current broker's loan rate plus five (5%)
         percent per annum. Employer will also reimburse Employee for Employee's
         reasonable legal fees incurred in enforcing the provisions of this
         Section 5(e). Notwithstanding the forgoing, Employer may satisfy its
         obligations to Employee under this Section 5(e) by paying Employee a
         lump sum of One Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($1,500,000).
         Each of Employer and Employee will execute a release concerning the
         other's obligations hereunder.

6.       Non-Solicitation, Non-Disclosure, Shop Rights and Insider Trading.

         a. Non-Solicitation.

            During Employee's Term of Employment with Employer, and for a
         period of one (1) year from the date of expiration or termination of
         such employment (the "Restricted Period"), Employee covenants and
         agrees that Employee will not, directly or indirectly, either for
         itself or for any other person or business entity, (i) solicit any
         employee of Employer to terminate his employment with

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         Employer or employ such individual during his employment with Employer,
         or (ii) make any disparaging statements concerning Employer, Employer's
         Business or its officers, directors, or employees, that could injure,
         impair or damage the relationships between Employer or Employer's
         business on the one hand and any of the employees, customers or
         suppliers of Employer's business, or any lessor, lessee, vendor,
         supplier, customer, distributor, employee or other business associate
         of Employer's Business. During the Restricted Period, Employer
         covenants and agrees that Employer will not, directly or indirectly,
         either for itself or for any other person or business entity, make any
         disparaging statements concerning Employee, subject to Employer's
         regulatory obligations.

         b. Non-Disclosure and Non-Use.

             i. Description of Confidential Information. For purposes of this
             Section 6(b), Confidential Information means any information
             disclosed during the Restricted Period, which is clearly either
             marked or reasonably understood as being confidential or
             proprietary including, but not limited to, information disclosed in
             discussions between the parties in connection with technical
             information, data, proposals and other documents of Employer
             pertaining to its business, products, services, finances, product
             designs, plans, customer lists, public relations and other
             marketing information and other unpublished information.
             Confidential Information shall include all tangible materials
             containing Confidential Information including, but not limited to,
             written or printed documents and computer disks and tapes, whether
             machine or user readable.

             ii. Standard of Care. Employee shall protect the Confidential
             Information from disclosure to any person other than other
             employees of Employer who have a need to know, by using a
             reasonable and prudent degree of care, in light of the significance
             of the Confidential Information, to prevent the unauthorized use,
             dissemination, or publication of such Confidential Information.

             iii. Exclusion. This Section 6(b) imposes no obligation upon
             Employee with respect to information that: (a) was in Employee's
             possession before receipt from Employer; (b) is or becomes a matter
             of public knowledge through no fault of Employee; (c) is rightfully
             received by Employee from a third party who does not have a duty of
             confidentiality; (d) is disclosed under operation of law, except
             that Employee will disclose only such information as is legally
             required and give Employer prompt prior notice; or (e) is disclosed
             by Employee with Employer's prior written consent.

             iv. Stock Trading. If the information disclosed or of which
             Employee becomes aware is material non-public information about the
             Employer, then Employee agrees not to trade in the securities of
             MHM, or in the securities of or any appropriate and relevant third
             party, until such time as no violation of the applicable federal
             and state securities laws would result from such securities
             trading.

             v. Return of Confidential Information. The Employee will
             immediately destroy

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             or return all tangible material embodying Confidential Information
             (in any form and including, without limitation, all summaries,
             copies and excerpts of Confidential Information) upon the earlier
             of (i) the completion or termination of the dealings between the
             Employer and Employee under the Agreement or (ii) at such time that
             Employer may so request.

             vi. Notice of Breach. Employee shall notify Employer immediately
             upon discovery of any of his unauthorized use or disclosure of
             Confidential Information, or any other breach of the Agreement by
             Employee, and will cooperate with Employer in every reasonable way
             to help Employer regain possession of Confidential Information and
             prevents its further unauthorized use.

             vii. Injunctive Relief. The Employee acknowledges that disclosure
             or use of Confidential Information in violation of the Agreement
             could cause irreparable harm to the Employer for which monetary
             damages may be difficult to ascertain or an inadequate remedy. The
             Employee therefore agrees that the Employer will have the rights in
             addition to its other rights and remedies, to seek and obtain
             injunctive relief from any violation of the Agreement.

         c. Shop Rights and Inventions, Patents, and Technology.

            Employee shall promptly disclose to Employer any developments,
         designs, patents, inventions, improvements, trade secrets, discoveries,
         copyrightable subject matter or other intellectual property conceived,
         either solely or jointly with others, developed, or reduced to practice
         by Employee during Employee's Term of Employment in connection with the
         services performed for Employer (the "Company Developments") and shall
         treat such information as proprietary to Employer. Employee agrees to
         assign to Employer any and all of Employee's right, title and interest
         in the Company Developments and Employee hereby agrees that Employee
         shall have no rights in the Company Developments. Any and all Company
         Developments in connection with the services performed for Employer
         pursuant to the Agreement are "works for hire" created for and owed
         exclusively by Employer.

7.       Representation and Indemnification.

         Employee hereby represents and warrants that Employee is not a party to
any agreement, whether oral or written, which would prohibit Employee from being
employed by Employer, and Employee further agrees to indemnify and hold
Employer, its directors, officers, shareholders and agents, harmless from and
against any and all losses, cost or expense of every kind, nature and
description (including, without limitation, whether or not suit be brought, all
reasonable costs, expenses and fees of legal counsel), based upon, arising out
of or otherwise in respect of any breach of such representation and warranty.

8.       Injunctive Relief.

         The parties acknowledge that the services to be rendered hereunder by
         Employee are special,

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         unique and of extraordinary character, and that in the event of a
         breach or a threatened breach of Employee of any of Employee's
         obligations under this Agreement, Employer will not have an adequate
         remedy at law. Accordingly, in the event of any breach or threatened
         breach of Employee, Employer shall be entitled to such equitable and
         injunctive relief as may be available to restrain Employee and any
         business, firm, partnership, individual, corporation or entity
         participating in the breach of this Agreement. Nothing in this
         Agreement shall be construed as prohibiting Employer from pursing any
         other remedies available at law or in equity for such breach or
         threatened breach, including the recovery of damages and the immediate
         termination of the employment of Employee under this Agreement.

9.       Notices.

         All notices shall be in writing and shall be delivered personally
(including by courier), sent by facsimile transmission (with appropriate
documented receipt thereof), by overnight receipted courier service (such as UPS
or Federal Express) or sent by certified, registered or express mail, postage
prepaid, to the parties at their address set forth at the beginning of this
Agreement with Employer's copy being sent to Employer at its then principal
office. Any such notice shall be deemed given when so delivered personally, or
if sent by facsimile transmission, when transmitted, or, if mailed, forty-eight
(48) hours after the date of deposit in the mail. Any party may, by notice given
in accordance with this Section to the other party, designate another address or
person for receipt of notices hereunder. Copies of any notices to be given to
Employer shall be given simultaneously to: Hartman & Craven LLP, 488 Madison
Avenue, New York, New York 10022, Attention: Joel I. Frank, Esq. Copies of any
notices to be given to Employee shall be given simultaneously to: Davidson
Manchel & Brennan, 207 Washington Street, Northvale, New Jersey 07647,
Attention: Joel E. Davidson, Esq.

10.      Miscellaneous.

         a. This Agreement shall be governed in all respects, including
         validity, construction, interpretation and effect, by New Jersey law,
         without giving effect to conflicts of laws. The parties hereby agree
         that any action, proceeding or claim arising out of, or relating in any
         way to, this Agreement shall be determined by arbitration, except for
         injunction proceedings brought to enforce the provisions of this
         Agreement which may be brought and enforced in the courts of the State
         of New Jersey or of the United States of America for New Jersey, and
         irrevocably submit to such jurisdiction, and waive any claim that such
         courts represent an inconvenient forum. Any arbitration under this
         Agreement shall be conducted pursuant to the Rules of the NASD and
         before an arbitration panel appointed by the NASD. The award of the
         arbitrator or a majority of them shall be final, and judgment on the
         award may be entered in any state or federal court having jurisdiction.
         In this regard, a request by either party for arbitration shall be
         binding on the other. Any process or summons to be served upon either
         party may be served by transmitting a copy thereof by registered or
         certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, addressed to
         such party at the address set forth hereinabove. Such mailing shall be
         deemed personal service and shall be legal and binding upon said party
         in any action, proceeding or claim.

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         b. This Agreement may be amended, superseded, canceled, renewed or
         extended, and the terms hereof may be waived, only by a written
         instrument signed by authorized representatives of the parties or, in
         the case of a waiver, by an authorized representative of the party
         waiving compliance. No such written instrument shall be effective
         unless it expressly recites that it is intended to amend, supersede,
         cancel, renew or extend this Agreement or to waive compliance with one
         or more of the terms hereof, as the case may be. No delay on the part
         of any party in exercising any right, power or privilege hereunder
         shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any waiver on the part of
         any party of any such right, power or privilege, or any single or
         partial exercise of any such right, power or privilege, preclude any
         further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other such right, power
         or privilege. The rights and remedies herein provided are cumulative
         and are not exclusive of any rights or remedies that any party may
         otherwise have at law or in equity.

         c. In view of Employer's need and desire to maintain a proper working
         environment with suitable demeanor of its employees and in light of
         Employer's sensitivity to the views of its customers and potential
         customers and to regulatory bodies having jurisdiction over Employer's
         business activities, Employer has instituted a policy of requiring
         employees to be subject to, at Employer's sole reasonable discretion,
         alcohol and drug testing procedures and requirements. Employee
         specifically consents to the same, agrees to be subject to whatever
         reasonable procedures may now or hereinafter be put in place covering
         such testing and understands and agrees that Employee's consent to this
         is a material inducement to Employer to enter into this agreement and
         to provide for the employment of Employee hereunder.

         d. If any provision or any portion of any provision of this Agreement
         or the application of any such provision or any portion thereof to any
         person or circumstance, shall be held invalid or unenforceable, the
         remaining portion of such provision and the remaining provisions of
         this Agreement, or the application of such provision or portion of such
         provision as is held invalid or unenforceable to persons or
         circumstances other than those as to which it is held invalid or
         unenforceable, shall not be affected thereby and such provision or
         portion of any provision as shall have been held invalid or
         unenforceable shall be deemed limited or modified to the extent
         necessary to make it valid and enforceable; in no event shall this
         Agreement be rendered void or unenforceable.

         e. The headings to the Sections of this Agreement are for convenience
         of reference only and shall not be given any effect in the construction
         or enforcement of this Agreement.

         f. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the
         successor and assigns of Employer, but no interest in this Agreement
         shall be transferable in any manner by Employee.

         g. This Agreement, the Letter Agreement dated of even date herewith and
         the agreements referred to therein constitute the entire agreement and
         understanding between the parties and supersedes all prior discussions,
         agreements and undertakings, written or oral, of any and every nature
         with respect thereto.

                                       11
<PAGE>

         h. This Agreement may be executed by the parties hereto in separate
         counterparts which together shall constitute one and the same
         instrument.

         i. In the event of the termination or expiration of this Agreement, the
         provisions of Sections 6, 7, 8 and 10 hereof shall remain in full force
         and effect, in accordance with their respective terms.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Agreement has been executed as of the date
stated at the beginning of this Agreement.

                                            M.H. MEYERSON & CO., INC.

                                            By:/s/ Martin H. Meyerson
                                               ----------------------
                                               Martin H. Meyerson
                                               Chairman

/s/ John P. Leighton
--------------------
John P. Leighton

                                       12<PAGE>

                            M.H. MEYERSON & CO., INC.
                                OPTION AGREEMENT

                                 GRANT OF OPTION

         AGREEMENT dated as of January 14, 2003 by and between M.H. MEYERSON &
CO., INC., a New Jersey corporation with offices at 525 Washington Boulevard,
34th Floor, Jersey City, New Jersey 07310 (the "Company"), and JOHN P. LEIGHTON,
residing at 180 Nassau Blvd., Garden City, New York 11530 (the "Holder").

SECTION 1.   GRANT OF OPTION.

         (a) Option. Pursuant to the provisions of the 2003 Employees Stock
Option Plan (the "Plan"), the Company hereby grants to the Holder, subject to
the terms and conditions of the Plan and the terms and conditions set forth
herein, the right and option ("Option") to purchase from the Company all or any
part of an aggregate of Three Hundred and Seventy Five Thousand (375,000) shares
of common stock, $.01 par value ("Shares") of the Company, such Option to be
exercised as hereinafter provided.

SECTION 2. TERMS AND CONDITIONS. It is understood and agreed that the Option
granted hereby is subject to the following terms and conditions:

         (a) Exercise Price. The price per share for Shares purchased upon the
exercise of this Option shall be Forty Cents ($.40).

         (b) Expiration Date. The Option granted shall commence to be
exercisable as described below and shall expire five (5) years from the date
hereof, except as otherwise provided herein, in the Plan or any other agreement
between the parties hereto pursuant to which a shorter period is prescribed. The
Option is fully vested on the date hereof.

         (c)      Conditions to Exercise of the Option.

                  (i)      No part of this Option may be exercised until each
                           of the following events shall have occurred:

                           A.       Either (1) the Shares subject to the Option
                                    shall have been effectively registered under
                                    the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
                                    "Securities Act") and, if necessary, under
                                    any applicable state securities laws, or (2)
                                    counsel for the Company shall have rendered
                                    its opinion to the Company to the effect
                                    that an exemption from such registration is
                                    available; and

                           B.       The Shares subject to the Option shall meet
                                    the rules of any stock exchanges or
                                    automated quotation systems on which Shares
                                    of the Company may then be listed.

<PAGE>

                  (ii)     If in any time in the future, the Shares subject to
                           the Option shall not have been effectively registered
                           under applicable securities laws, the Company may
                           require as a condition to the exercise of the Option
                           that the Holder make such representations to the
                           Company as the Company shall deem appropriate, on the
                           advice of counsel, including, without limitation, a
                           representation to the effect that the Holder is
                           purchasing the Shares to be acquired upon the
                           exercise of the Option for his own account for
                           investment only and not with a view to distribution
                           or with any present intention of reselling any such
                           Shares, and that the Shares may not be sold or
                           disposed of, except in accordance with the Securities
                           Act.

         (d)     Method of Exercise. The Option may be exercised in whole or in
part at any time. The Option cannot be exercised for less than 100 Shares or
multiples thereof unless such exercise is for the entire amount of Shares then
vested under the Option.

         (e)     Payment of Purchase Price Upon Exercise of Option. At the time
of any exercise of a Option, the purchase price of the Shares as to which the
Option shall be exercised shall be paid in cash, by certified check or bank
check. The Holder shall be responsible for and pay to the Company any
withholding tax that may be the Holder's obligation to pay by virtue of the
transactions contemplated herein.

         (f)     Exercise Upon Death, Permanent Disability or Termination of
                 Employment.

                 This Option shall terminate 90 days after expiration or
termination of employment of the Holder with the Company (and/or its affiliates)
for whatever reason; accordingly:

                  (i)      In the event that the Holder dies (a) while an
                           employee of the Company or of a subsidiary thereof,
                           or (b) within 90 days after termination of such
                           employment with the Company or a subsidiary thereof,
                           the Option may be exercised within twelve months
                           after the death of the Holder (but not later than the
                           end of the fixed term of the Option) by his estate or
                           by a person who acquires the right to exercise the
                           Option by bequest or inheritance.

                  (ii)     If a Holder ceases to be an employee of the Company
                           or a subsidiary thereof, whether as a result of
                           termination by the Company or such subsidiary or by
                           the Holder, normal retirement, early retirement,
                           expiration of employment, or disability retirement,
                           either physical or mental, or any other reason, the
                           Option may be exercised by him, his attorney-in-fact,
                           or his guardian, as appropriate, at any time after
                           the date on which he ceases to be an employee (but no
                           later than 90 days after the Holder ceases to be
                           such), so long as such exercise date is not beyond
                           the expiration date of this option provided in
                           Section 2(b) hereof.

         (g) Nontransferability of Option. No Option shall be transferable
otherwise than by will

                                       2

<PAGE>

or the laws of descent and distribution or a qualified domestic relations order
("QDRO") as defined by the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or Title I
of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, or the rules
thereunder, and the Option may be exercised during the lifetime of the holder
hereof, only by him or his legal representatives or pursuant to a QDRO. Except
to the extent provided above, the Option may not be assigned, transferred,
pledged, hypothecated or disposed of in any way (whether by operation of law or
otherwise) and shall not be subject to execution, attachment or similar process.

         (h) Adjustment Upon Change of Shares. In the event of a reorganization,
merger, consolidation, reclassification, recapitalization, combination or
exchange of shares, stock split, stock dividend, rights offering or other event
affecting shares of the Company, the number and class of Shares then subject to
the Option previously granted, and the price per Share payable upon exercise of
such Option shall be equitably adjusted by the Committee to reflect the change.

         (i) No Rights as Stockholder. The Holder shall have no rights as a
stockholder with respect to any Shares subject to the Option before the date of
issuance to the Holder of a certificate or certificates for such Shares.

         (j) No Right to Continued Employment. The Option shall not confer upon
the Holder any right with respect to continuance of service (as a consultant or
otherwise) or employment by the Company or any subsidiary thereof, nor shall it
interfere in any way with the right of the employer to terminate such service or
employment at any time.

         (k) Compliance With Law and Regulations. No Option shall be exercisable
and no shares will be delivered except in compliance with all applicable federal
and state laws and regulations, including, without limitation, compliance with
withholding tax requirements and with the rules of all domestic stock exchanges
on which the Company's Shares may be listed. Any share certificate issued to
evidence shares for which a Option is exercised may bear legends and statements
deemed advisable by the Committee to assure compliance with federal and state
laws and regulations. No Option shall be exercisable, and no shares will be
delivered, until the Company has obtained consent or approval from shareholders
and/or regulatory bodies, federal or state, having jurisdiction over such
matters as the Committee may deem advisable.

SECTION 3. HOLDER BOUND BY PLAN. The Holder hereby acknowledges receipt of a
copy of the Plan and agrees to be bound by all the terms and provisions thereof.

SECTION 4. NOTICES. Any notice hereunder shall be deemed effective only if in
writing and sent by certified mail, return receipt to the Company at its then
principal address with a copy to Hartman & Craven LLP, 488 Madison Avenue, New
York, NY 10022, Attention: Joel I. Frank; and with respect to the Holder, by
transmission to the address listed on the first page hereof, subject to the
right of either party to designate at any time hereafter in writing some other
address.

                                       3

<PAGE>

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, M.H. MEYERSON & CO., INC., has caused this
Agreement to be executed by its duly authorized officer and the Holder has
executed this Agreement, both as of the day and year written at the beginning of
this Agreement.

                                             M.H. MEYERSON & CO., INC.

                                             By:/s/ Martin H. Meyerson
                                                ----------------------
                                                Martin H. Meyerson
                                                Chairman
Accepted:

/s/ John P. Leighton
--------------------
John P. Leighton

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