A forensic eye for detail

Our forensic accounting team are highly experienced in helping our clients to resolve their disputes at an early stage. Ways we do this is to help you quantify losses and mediate by offering sensible, pragmatic advice.

We can also help where a contract requires an expert determination. As members of the ICAEW Presidents’ Appointment Scheme, we know how to run cost-efficient and successful expert determination processes. We also help clients to draft submissions and in negotiating the right outcome.

Our highly skilled forensic accounting team provide expert witness evidence for civil, family, criminal and commercial disputes.

In commercial proceedings, we assess and report to the Court on accounting and quantum on a wide range of issues.

For divorce proceedings we use our expertise to value business assets such as shareholdings in private companies, and to identify how the funds may be extracted from the business. We also work with our tax colleagues to ensure we thoroughly address all implications.

Our forensic accounting team regularly prepare, or review the accuracy and reasonableness of, detailed financial analyses created to support criminal prosecutions. We have experience across a number of offences including theft, fraud, wrongful trading, money laundering and tax evasion. We also assist in Proceeds of Crime (POCA) hearings.

Our forensic accountancy team are experienced in conducting fraud investigations of all sizes, as well as investigating failures of accounting controls. Whether you think that your business has been subject to fraud committed by an employee or compromised by a third party, we can help. This includes instances of cyber-crime.

We work closely with our clients’ legal advisors to ensure a tightly focused investigation covered by legal privilege protection and draw on computer forensic technology specialists where required.

As well as providing factual investigation reports to our clients and the necessary authorities, we help you understand how to prevent similar incidents from occurring again. By uncovering any weaknesses in your system that allowed the fraud to take place and assisting you with measures such as risk reviews and staff training, we leave you safer and stronger than before.

Whatever your size or goals, Azets can get a valuation of your company’s shares, share options or intellectual property assets.

Our dedicated business and asset valuation team has decades of experience providing a range of valuations. We work with clients of all types including global groups, SMEs, private clients, trustees and lawyers, tailoring our budget and approach to every project.

In respect of intangible asset valuations for financial reporting/business combination purposes we offer free scoping consultations and pre-agreed fixed pricing per Cash Generating Unit.

Our team are on hand to help, providing independent employer covenant assessments that are cost effective, clear and compliant with regulatory best practice.

As well as performing assessments to underpin trustees’ selection of appropriate actuarial assumptions, we can offer guidance in their funding negotiations with employers and support your consideration of reasonably affordable contributions under the Pension Regulator’s guidance.

We also consider the impact of corporate changes on an employer covenant and advise trustees on the most appropriate mitigating actions.