City officials are searching for an independent law firm to help in a civil suit against two pharmaceutical companies, the New Haven Independent reported Tuesday. Corporation counsel John Ward told the Independent that with the law firm, he will sue Merck and Schering-Plough for selling $400,000 worth of the cholesterol drugs Zetia and Vytorin to City Hall officials. The two drugs were later found to be ineffective by a January study. Spokesmen from both companies have told the Independent and the Wall Street Journal that the companies stick by their products.