I recently worked as an affiliate for a competitor on a complex international file. One thing that especially impressed me was the ease at which both firms collaborated. I find this to be the norm rather than the exception in the world of investigative and forensic accounting. If there’s a job to do, and it [...]
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When do you hire?
It’s a tricky question I imagine many, if not all, professional firms have to face: when is the right time to hire more professional staff? Do you add to your staff before the work comes in? There are many advantages to doing so. Your new hire(s) will likely be more up-to-speed when the new files [...]
LECG On the Ropes
In the spring of 2009 Froese Forensic Partners Ltd. purchased the Canadian assets of LECG, an international expert services company. LECG is now in the process of blowing itself up, facing a cash crisis in trying to fund debt coming due at the end of March. LECG is selling off its most valuable assets and is [...]
Family Law Troubles
One of the difficulties in family law is actually collecting on judgments or support payments when a spouse fails to make required payments. In Ontario, the Family Responsibility Office (FRO) is most effective at collecting from an employed person by garnishing his wages. When someone is self-employed (or employed through another family-owned business), however, it [...]
The High Cost of Conflict
It’s usually interesting to read a story for which you have a personal connection. Especially one that not only makes your blood boil but also makes you think about parallel situations in your work as a forensic accountant. The story in this case was in today’s Globe and Mail. It told of 92-year-old Craig Morrison’s [...]
The Forensic Accounting Marathon
Working some files can be a lot like running a marathon. That thought was bouncing through my mind as I took part in the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon recently. To be exact, I did a half-marathon and came close to my goal of two hours, missing it by only three minutes. Our office has been [...]
One Wedding and a Funeral
My oldest daughter Ainslie is getting married today. My family is incredibly happy for her and we all hope she and her husband Reg have a healthy and joyous life together. A marriage, needless to say, is a time to celebrate the present and look ahead to the future with great expectations. In drafting my [...]
Fear and Raving in Oregon
A few minutes after we pulled into a coffee shop on Highway 101 in Oregon after some light rain and twisty roads a crazy man approached us. This was on day three of our most recent bike trip, which had begun on June 30 in San Francisco. Within minutes the encounter escalated to a dangerous [...]
“Catch & Release” Management Style
The Wall Street Journal announced today that Marsh & McLennan Cos. Inc. agreed to sell Kroll for $1.13 billion to Altegrity Inc., an international screening and security solutions company. It’s a move that Scott Adams, the creator of the Dilbert comic strip, would love. He brilliantly displayed his understanding of top management in a cartoon [...]
A Stressful Day in Court
The legal system does not move at the pace seen on television. All of us who come in contact with it are painfully aware of that reality. It is usually a slow and tedious process, save for a few moments of drama and conflict. On the few occasions that require me to be in court, [...]
