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Exhibit 99-CERT
N-CSR EXHIBIT FOR ITEM 10(c): SECTION 302 CERTIFICATIONS
I, Bradley Tank, certify that:
1. I have reviewed this report on Form N-CSR of Lehman Brothers/First Trust
Income Opportunity Fund;
2. Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement
of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make
the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such
statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered
by this report;
3. Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial
information included in this report, fairly present in all material
respects the financial condition, results of operations, changes in net
assets, and cash flows (if the financial statements are required to
include a statement of cash flows) of the registrant as of, and for, the
periods presented in this report;
4. The registrant's other certifying officer and I are responsible for
establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as
defined in Rule 30a-3(c) under the Investment Company Act of 1940) for
the registrant and have:
a) Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such
disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our
supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the
registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known
to us by others within those entities, particularly during the
period in which this report is being prepared;
b) Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant's disclosure controls
and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about
the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of a
date within 90 days prior to the filing date of this report based on
such evaluation; and
c) Disclosed in this report any change in the registrant's internal
control over financial reporting that occurred during the
registrant's most recent fiscal half-year (the registrant's second
fiscal half-year in the case of an annual report) that has
materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect,
the registrant's internal control over financial reporting; and
5. The registrant's other certifying officer and I have disclosed to the
registrant's auditors and the audit committee of the registrant's board
of directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):
a) All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design
or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are
reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant's ability to
record, process, summarize, and report financial information; and
b) Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or
other employees who have a significant role in the registrant's
internal control over financial reporting.
Date: March 3, 2004 /S/ Bradley Tank
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Bradley Tank, President/Chief Executive Officer
[Signature]
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I, Edward Grieb, certify that:
1. I have reviewed this report on Form N-CSR of Lehman Brothers/First Trust
Income Opportunity Fund;
2. Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement
of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make
the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such
statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered
by this report;
3. Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial
information included in this report, fairly present in all material
respects the financial condition, results of operations, changes in net
assets, and cash flows (if the financial statements are required to
include a statement of cash flows) of the registrant as of, and for, the
periods presented in this report;
4. The registrant's other certifying officer and I are responsible for
establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as
defined in Rule 30a-3(c) under the Investment Company Act of 1940) for
the registrant and have:
a) Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such
disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our
supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the
registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known
to us by others within those entities, particularly during the
period in which this report is being prepared;
b) Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant's disclosure controls
and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about
the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of a
date within 90 days prior to the filing date of this report based on
such evaluation; and
c) Disclosed in this report any change in the registrant's internal
control over financial reporting that occurred during the
registrant's most recent fiscal half-year (the registrant's second
fiscal half-year in the case of an annual report) that has
materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect,
the registrant's internal control over financial reporting; and
5. The registrant's other certifying officer and I have disclosed to the
registrant's auditors and the audit committee of the registrant's board
of directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):
a) All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design
or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are
reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant's ability to
record, process, summarize, and report financial information; and
b) Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or
other employees who have a significant role in the registrant's
internal control over financial reporting.
Date: March 3, 2004 /S/ Edward Grieb
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Edward Grieb, Treasurer/Chief Financial Officer
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