A decade after buying American Lawyer, Lazard boss Bruce Wasserstein is ready to bail on the legal publishing business.

Wasserstein & Co. ended months of rumors and conceded yesterday it has retained Credit Suisse Group to help it “explore various strategic alternatives,” including a possible sale of the closely held company that includes American Lawyer magazine, the New York Law Journal, Real Estate Forum and about 30 other regional publications and Web sites.

A variety of suitors is expected to appear, including Court TV chief Steve Brill, who founded American Lawyer and eventually sold it to Time Warner, as well as Dolan Media, Reed International and Thomson West Publishing.

“I’d look at it, maybe as a minority partner,” said Brill, who was reached yesterday on vacation off the coast of Georgia.

ALM Media had 2006 revenue of about $190 million.