when an opposing attorney takes a forensic accounting expert's deposition, what is his or her goal?

by Mavis Flatley 6 min read

When to use a forensic accountant in a court case?

When an opposing attorney takes a forensic accounting expert's deposition, what is his or her goal? Testimony regarding his knowledge, skill, experience training or education in technical matters relating to this case. Peter is a CPA. Peter has been retained to provide expert testimony on behalf of the defendant in a business litigation matter ...

Why do attorneys use forensic experts?

When an opposing attorney takes a forensic accounting expert's deposition, what is his or her goal? To identify and highlight the weaknesses in the expert's report and in the opponent's case, in order to encourage settlement or, at a minimum, to force the …

Can a financial consultant be deposed by the opposing counsel?

When an opposing attorney takes a forensic accounting expert's deposition, what is his or her goal? To identify weaknesses in the expert's report without alerting the expert, so that the weaknesses can be revealed at trial.

Do attorneys have to disclose work product to opposing counsel?

Jul 15, 2021 · Selected Answer: Any or all of these answers could be one of the goals of an expert deposition. Answers: To identify and highlight the weaknesses in the expert's report and in the opponent's case, in order to encourage settlement or, at a minimum, to force the expert to correct the analysis before trial. To size up the witness and to learn as much as possible about …

What should be the goal of a forensic accountant in litigation support?

What should be the goal of a forensic accountant in litigation support? To help the attorney to avoid the cost and uncertainty of a trial.

Can the opposing side see the forensic accountant's working papers if he or she is acting as a consultant?

Can the opposing side see the forensic accountant's working papers if he or she is acting as a consultant? Is access by opposing counsel possible if the accountant is acting as an expert witness? Usually the working papers is not discoverable by the other side.

Why would the investigator choose to hire a forensic accountant?

These accountants not only specialize in fraud, they can identify weaknesses to help prevent fraud. This is the professional hired to investigate suspected fraud and theft.

How are forensic accountants used in court?

Forensic Analysis – Using their investigative skills, forensic accountants dive into the data available and analyze the information to trace assets, calculate damages or determine any underlying fraud. From there, they can work with the legal team to best present the findings in court.Jul 29, 2019

Do forensic accountants testify court?

Litigation Support If a dispute reaches the courtroom, the forensic accountant may testify as an expert witness. Knowledge of the courtroom sets the forensic accountant apart from a typical accountant.

In what types of cases may a forensic accountant serve as an expert witness?

Forensic Accounting Expert Witness CA 523069 My areas of expertise include Personal injury, Wrongful death, Employment law, Breach of contract, Professional liability, Embezzlement, Construction defect, Antitrust issues, and Business interruption cases.

How do forensic accounting investigators work with lawyers?

Forensic Accountants communicate their findings in the form of reports, exhibits and collections of documents. They assist with legal proceedings, providing expert witness testimony and preparing visual aids to support trial evidence.Dec 17, 2020

Who can hire forensic accountant?

For Certified Forensic Accountant it is necessary to be a student from a recognized institution/university, should have three years professional experience and has passed Certified Forensic Accounting Professional (CFAP) Exams of Indiaforensic Center of Studies with minimum 75% of marks.

What does a forensic accountant charge?

We usually see a range of $2,500 to $6,000, which is dependent upon each case and the complexity of the specifics involved. The good news – a lot of times, they end up saving the client time and money, as their work oftentimes eliminates the need for unnecessary court litigation or trial.

Can forensic accountants be sued?

Some of the types of litigation cases where the forensic accountant can be of assistance include shareholder/partner disputes, matrimonial dissolutions, breach of contact, lost profits and damage calculations, white-collar criminal investigations, breach of fiduciary duty, estate litigation and in the bankruptcy arena.

What is forensic accounting investigation?

What is Forensic Accounting? Forensic accounting is the investigation of fraud or financial manipulation. Billions of dollars were lost as a result of these financial disasters. by performing extremely detailed research and analysis of financial information.

What are forensic accountant roles in dispute resolution cases?

In litigation, forensic accountants are often engaged by either party to act as expert witnesses to provide an independent assessment of the damages being claimed and to provide expert evidence either by way of expert testimony or by submitting an expert's report.

What can an attorney do with forensic accountants?

The attorney can hire the forensic & investigative accountant or consultant to advise on the facts, issues and strategies of a specific case. Though the consultant’s thoughts and opinions are often incorporated into the attorney’s legal strategy, they do not necessarily testify in court.

Why do attorneys use forensic experts?

For many years, attorneys on both sides of the courtroom have turned to forensic experts to support their position as well as to identify the potential strengths and weaknesses in the arguments of opp osing counsel. Additionally, attorneys can use expert consultants as a “second set of eyes” to assist in reviewing and assessing ...

Why is a financial consultant not deposed?

Because the consultant does not give an expert opinion in front of a judge and/or jury, that consultant is not deposed by the opposing counsel . In fact, in many cases the opposing attorneys may never know that a financial consultant has even been hired.

Why do attorneys use consultants?

Additionally, attorneys can use expert consultants as a “second set of eyes” to assist in reviewing and assessing the data obtained from other consulting experts so as to improve their own case.

Do attorneys have to share their work product?

The various state and federal rules permit the attorneys to consult with experts to shape their case, and as long as these experts are not being used to offer testimony in a courtroom, their work product does not need to be shared with or disclosed to opposing counsel.

Can a consultant ask questions during a deposition?

Though consultants are not permitted to actually ask questions during a deposition, they are often called upon to provide specific questions in advance and even sit in on the depositions to offer real- time advice to attorneys . Again, the expert can often offer a perspective not familiar to the attorney.

How to work with forensic accountant?

How to Work with Your Forensic Accountant Expert Witness. The preferred method of communication with the expert should be phone calls and face-to-face meetings because written communication with the expert is discoverable. Therefore, suggest that note-taking be kept to a minimum during these meetings.

What should an expert witness beware of?

Your expert witness should also beware of opposing attorneys’ attempts to develop an informal, but rapid, questioning style that may be designed to elicit answers from the expert without careful thought, and attorneys who jump from subject to subject. An opposing attorney might also try to ask the same question in different ways, attempting to get the expert to provide inconsistent answers.

What is the role of an expert witness?

The role of the expert witness should be as an advocate for the expert’s well-reasoned opinion. His or her function is NOT to be an advocate for your client, and the expert should not argue your case. This is the job of the attorney. However, the attorney should work closely with the expert beforehand to plan for testimony.

When should an accountant hire an expert?

To ensure the expert is adequately prepared, the attorney should hire him or her prior to the close of discovery. This will enable the accountant to identify and then receive appropriate documents for his or her analysis and subsequent testimony.

Who is the publisher of Family Lawyer Magazine?

Family Lawyer Magazine#N#’s Publisher Dan Couvrette asked Certified Public Accountants Rod and Heather Moe what family lawyers should know about business valuation and forensic accounting; here is a summary of that interview.

Can an attorney lead an expert?

The attorney may be trying to alert the expert to a trick question or to factors that should be considered. During direct examination testimony, it is okay for the attorney to lead an expert.

Should an expert be well versed in answering questions?

Although the expert should be well versed to answer the questions the attorneys on both sides of the case may ask, it is important that he or she not memorize responses before the testimony. Rather, the expert should think before answering each question, keeping aware of tactics designed to trip him or her up.

What Is Forensic Accounting?

Sometimes during the divorce process a spouse can take on unscrupulous practices (e.g., hiding money from his partner). This can be done for a number or reasons, whether the spouse is trying to guard his own money, or simply trying to make sure his partner suffers financial loss as some form or humiliation.

How Can I Tell If My Spouse Is Hiding Assets from Me?

If your spouse is hiding money from you, he will most likely do it by understating his assets, income, or the value of other finances such as a business they own. There are some patterns that help in identifying when a spouse may be engaging in such practices:

Should I Consult an Attorney?

It would definitely be a good idea to consult a divorce lawyer before hiring a forensic accountant. The accountant normally does not work by himself, but usually works with your attorney as a team, so that they can coordinate what they are looking for and interpret what they have found.