The firm:
FRP’s Forensic Services team is comprised off highly experienced forensic accounting, forensic technology and investigations professionals, providing incisive expertise across a multitude of situations, including commercial disputes, global asset tracing and recovery assignments, bribery and fraud investigations, judgement enforcement, competition damages claims, regulatory enquiries, freezing orders, divorce and insolvency cases.
FRP’s partner-led teams deliver constructive resolutions and leverage the accounting and technology elements of the Forensic Services team to work together seamlessly.
Types of work undertaken:
Dispute Services :The Forensic Services team has in-depth experience in many different forms of dispute resolution, including litigation, arbitration, mediation and expert determination. The firm’s partners have acted as a party appointed expert, single joint expert, expert determiner, shadow expert and adviser. They also have experience giving evidence in the High Court. FRP’s expert appointments include, for example, contentious valuations, reconstructing accounts and calculating lost profits in the context of shareholder disputes, unfair prejudice claims, contractual disputes, security for costs and claims under the Insolvency Act.
The team works across many industries on a wide range of disputes, including lost profits, breach of contract, wasted costs, professional negligence, business interruption, business expropriation, matrimonial and fraudulent misrepresentation. When a case requires a particular area of technical expertise, the team partners with external experts, such as competition economists in a cartel claim or financial services experts in a banking dispute. They can also draw on the expertise of FRP’s in-house corporate finance team on contentious valuations and tap into the PrimeGlobal network if country-specific expertise and an international physical presence are needed.
Recent case experience includes acting as quantum expert on behalf of a US-based manufacturer defending a claim regarding loss of profits. Following submission of the expert reports and a joint statement of experts, FRP Partner Chris Osborne was cross-examined in the High Court. The judge found in favour of the defendants on multiple issues, including in relation to the intercompany and quantum issues that the team identified.
Forensic Investigations : FRP works with law firms, audit committees, regulatory and enforcement agencies (such as the SEC, DOJ, SFO and FCA) to determine the nature and extent of fraud, bribery, corruption and money laundering and explain complex issues. The team regularly leads on investigations including accounting fraud, insider dealing, misappropriation of client funds, employee fraud, boiler room fraud, invoicing fraud, bribery, corruption, and money laundering. They are also instructed on asset-tracing and recovery assignments in a variety of contexts including fraud, high value divorce, and insolvency matters. The Forensic Services team works extensively with FRP’s contentious insolvency experts, assisting with investigations and potential claims.
Recent investigation experience includes an instruction to investigate allegations of bribery, corruption, money laundering and fraud on behalf of a nation state. The case involved a high-net-worth individual and his associates, including politically exposed persons across the Middle East. Other recent experience includes an investigation into suspicions of financial irregularities at a major charity, following the identification of discrepancies between its accounting records and a supplier ledger. The team identified three key methods used to fraudulently extract funds. The investigation report (including findings from the imaging of the suspect’s computer) was provided to the police to assist with criminal proceedings, with the perpetrator committed to prison for five years.
Forensic Technology : The Forensic Technology team specialises in computer forensic and eDiscovery services. The team captures, processes, analyses and produces digital and digitised evidence in a manner which is admissible in Court or Tribunal and useable in the context of insolvency proceedings, regulatory enquiries, litigation, arbitration and the investigation of financial misconduct.
The team is experienced in all areas of the eDiscovery process, and regularly advises clients on best practices for identifying, preserving, collecting and producing electronic information, and on the latest developments in discovery rules. FRP’s specialists also develop eDiscovery project plans and negotiate best approaches and practices with clients. Recent cases include an eDiscovery matter where the team used FRP’s document review platform, Relativity, to reduce review time and save an estimated £1.25 million of potential review costs.
Compliance and Risk Advisory : The Forensic Services team has experience in drafting and reviewing policies for compliance programmes including financial controls, bribery and corruption and anti-money laundering. They have worked with regulatory authorities and in-house compliance teams of corporates and banks to advise on risk related matters. Recent experience includes providing control recommendations to the trustees of a charity to assist them to safeguard the assets of the charity, identify and manage risks and ensure high-quality financial reporting.
Main Work Contacts
| Name | Phone | |
|---|---|---|
| Chris Osborne | [email protected] | +44 (0)20 3005 4277 |
| Jonathan Wheatcroft | [email protected] | +44 (0)20 3005 4085 |
| Faye Hall | [email protected] | +44 (0)20 3005 4089 |
| Henry Pocock | [email protected] | +44 (0)12 1710 1697 |