<P> Since 1989, mergers and one major scandal involving Arthur Andersen have reduced the number of major professional - services firms from eight to four . </P> <P> The firms were called the Big Eight for most of the 20th century, reflecting the international dominance of the eight largest firms (presented here in alphabetical order): </P> <Ul> <Li> Arthur Andersen (until its closure in 2002 for a conviction related to the Enron scandal which was later overturned by the US Supreme Court) </Li> <Li> Arthur Young </Li> <Li> Coopers and Lybrand (until 1973 Cooper Brothers in the UK and Lybrand, Ross Bros., & Montgomery in the United States) </Li> <Li> Ernst & Whinney (until 1979 Ernst & Ernst in the United States and Whinney Murray in the UK) </Li> <Li> Deloitte Haskins & Sells (until 1978 Haskins & Sells in the United States and Deloitte & Co. in the UK) </Li> <Li> Peat Marwick Mitchell (later Peat Marwick, then KPMG) </Li> <Li> Price Waterhouse </Li> <Li> Touche Ross </Li> </Ul> <Li> Arthur Andersen (until its closure in 2002 for a conviction related to the Enron scandal which was later overturned by the US Supreme Court) </Li>

Who were the original big 8 accounting firms