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Conducting an Effective Internal Corporate Investigation Association of Corporate Counsel – Michigan Chapter June 10, 2014.

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Presentation on theme: "Conducting an Effective Internal Corporate Investigation Association of Corporate Counsel – Michigan Chapter June 10, 2014."— Presentation transcript:

1 Conducting an Effective Internal Corporate Investigation Association of Corporate Counsel – Michigan Chapter June 10, 2014

2 2Copyright © 2014 Deloitte Development LLC. All rights reserved. Your presentation team Welcome ‏ Rex E. Schlaybaugh, Jr. Member and Chair Emeritus Dykema Gossett LLP Bloomfield Hills, MI ‏ Moderator ‏ Robert T. Biskup Director, Forensics Deloitte Financial Advisory Services LLP Detroit, MI ‏ Speaker ‏ Brian M. Moore Member Dykema Gossett LLP Bloomfield Hills, MI ‏ Speaker

3 3Copyright © 2014 Deloitte Development LLC. All rights reserved. Why we are here today Introduction Circumstances / issues giving rise to internal investigations −Cyber-attacks on data / network security −Corporate fraud / bribery and corruption −Whistleblower rights −Anti-competition activities −Product safety / quality control −Financial reporting / accounting irregularities Regulatory environment (Dodd-Frank, SEC, DOJ Leniency Programs, SOX) −Invites, if not demands, investigations as part of regulatory response protocol −Credits independent investigations as important part of cooperation and a key element in reducing corporate liability −Regulators and investors expect independent directors and external advisors to lead investigations where circumstances warrant

4 4Copyright © 2014 Deloitte Development LLC. All rights reserved. Why we are here today Introduction Benefits of an effective internal investigation −Memorialize company’s good-faith response −Trigger remedial action; enhancement to policies, procedures, internal controls −Better to know and, if warranted, voluntarily disclose −Minimize potential consequences, penalties, liabilities, debarments Triggers warranting an investigation −Financial fraud −Misconduct by corporate officers or employees −Ethical issues −Conflicts of interest −Government search warrant, subpoena or CID −Whistleblower complaints −Calls to hotline or anonymous reports −Media report −Regulatory noncompliance −Any allegation creating significant risk or potential for derivative lawsuit

5 5Copyright © 2014 Deloitte Development LLC. All rights reserved. Why we are here today Introduction All internal investigations are fluid, time-sensitive, and require flexibility Important to develop a collaborative process Key questions / issues to consider at the outset −Who should lead the investigation −Role of external counsel and advisors −Development of a structured and collaborative process −Role of Management and / or Board of Directors −Impact of investigation on attorney-client privilege & work-product privileges −Scope and plan of the investigation −How the investigation should be conducted (document collection, internal interviews, external interviews) −Who should receive the end-product, and in what form

6 6Copyright © 2014 Deloitte Development LLC. All rights reserved. Higher risk cases – investigation should be under the direction of attorneys −HR, internal audit or compliance officer for matters involving lower risk Office of General Counsel −Isolated and well-defined allegations −Activities of lower-level employees −Advantages: familiar with company; known to management; less disruption to operations; cheaper Outside counsel −Risk of criminal or civil exposure −Inquiries from government agencies / regulators −Activities of board members, management, or senior employees −Investigation led by audit committee or special committee −Advantages: experience and resources; maintain independence (consider new outside counsel); additional safeguards of attorney-client privilege Who should investigate?

7 7Copyright © 2014 Deloitte Development LLC. All rights reserved. Collaborative Process Role of Management / Board of Directors −Need management support, but independent of management control to ensure credibility −Appoint management point person (OGC for most investigations) −Board oversight may be necessary if management potentially implicated −Independent of board control if activities of board members at issue Need for subject matter experts (SMEs) −Forensic accountant necessary for most investigations −Counsel should retain experts for services in connection with providing legal advice to company (protect privilege) −Counsel should direct their activities

8 8Copyright © 2014 Deloitte Development LLC. All rights reserved. Developing a Structured Process Develop matrix of incoming report categories −Examples of violations of company policy, laws, regulations ◦Accounting / financial reporting (potential SOX 301) ◦Managerial frauds (potential SOX 302) ◦Employee relations (routine HR vs. significant compliance issues) ◦Asset misappropriation ◦Kickbacks, collusion, bribes, corruption ◦Anti-competition activities ◦Data privacy ◦Cyber attacks and data security ◦Credit card abuse ◦Environmental ◦Product safety ◦Threats to personal safety and security

9 9Copyright © 2014 Deloitte Development LLC. All rights reserved. Making it Collaborative For each category, develop primary and secondary leads −Legal (OGC and external counsel) −Compliance −Internal Audit −Security −Human Resources −Internal Control −Information Technology −HQ, Regional, and Local leads −Internal Regulatory Groups −Business Operations

10 10Copyright © 2014 Deloitte Development LLC. All rights reserved. Assembling the Right Team When to involve outside forensic accountants −Accounting irregularities −Financial reporting issues −Asset or money tracing −Large data gathering −Complex structured and unstructured data analytics −IT system implications −International coverage −Other support needed by counsel

11 11Copyright © 2014 Deloitte Development LLC. All rights reserved. Defining when to Escalate Develop specific criteria and procedures −Allegations against senior management −Allegations involving managerial fraud −Allegations involving accounting improprieties −Allegations involving financial statement fraud −Allegations with legal / regulatory implications −Allegations with reputational implications −Allegations involving bribery or kickbacks −Allegations impacting product quality −Allegations involving potentially material internal control weaknesses

12 12Copyright © 2014 Deloitte Development LLC. All rights reserved. Defining when to Escalate (continued) Who needs to know? −General Counsel? −CFO? −HR? −CEO? −Business Unit Management? −Board of Directors or Board Committee? −External Auditors? −Exceptions and process for dealing with internal conflicts of interest

13 13Copyright © 2014 Deloitte Development LLC. All rights reserved. Issues Involving Officers or Board Members Special considerations −Consider who must be informed in each scenario (CEO, CFO, GC, HR, CCO) −Consider special evidence gathering protocols −Consider administrative leave situations −Consider external reporting requirements −Consider involving company auditors −Consider special investigation committee overseen by board when independence is an issue

14 14Copyright © 2014 Deloitte Development LLC. All rights reserved. Protecting Privileges Investigations conducted by counsel for purposes of the company “obtaining legal advice” are generally protected by attorney-client and work product privileges −Typically applies to both in-house & outside counsel −Underlying facts are not privileged Investigation for business purposes may not be protected Recent federal district court decision raises concerns whether companies can claim privilege over investigations conducted pursuant to a regulatory or corporate policy. United States ex rel. Harry Barko v. Halliburton Company, et al., No. 05-CV-1276 (D.D.C. Mar. 6, 2014) −Impact should be limited as case sufficiently distinguishable from most attorney-led investigations

15 15Copyright © 2014 Deloitte Development LLC. All rights reserved. Steps of an Internal Investigation Step 1: Define Scope of Investigation Step 2: Prepare Investigation Plan Step 3: Collect / Analyze Data & Documents Step 4: Conduct Witness Interviews Step 5: Prepare Final Report

16 16Copyright © 2014 Deloitte Development LLC. All rights reserved. Step 1: Define Scope of Investigation Crucial to cost-efficient and effective investigation is defining the proper scope at outset of investigation Defining factors −Precise issues / allegations being investigated −Immediate & potential audience of investigation results −Need for subject-matter expert −Scope of corporate involvement −Time frame of allegations −Identification of sources of potential evidence −Identification of relevant witnesses (informational & target)

17 17Copyright © 2014 Deloitte Development LLC. All rights reserved. Step 2: Prepare an Investigation Plan Overview of the allegations & investigation scope Timetable for investigation events −Collect / analyze documents −Interview witnesses −Preliminary reporting Timetable for final reporting

18 18Copyright © 2014 Deloitte Development LLC. All rights reserved. Step 3: Preserve / Collect / Analyze Data & Documents Depending on scope of investigation & involvement of government / regulators Collect key documents immediately −Company rules, controls, policies and procedures −Memoranda or notes regarding allegation −Prior complaints −Contracts −Personnel files Investigation hold memo to identified custodians −Suspend normal document destruction policies −Consider simultaneous imaging computer hard drives & back-up media of key witnesses

19 19Copyright © 2014 Deloitte Development LLC. All rights reserved. Step 3: Preserve / Collect / Analyze Data & Documents (continued) Document collection −Designate IT point person to coordinate efforts −Consider outside vendor (or retained forensic expert) Document review – balance cost & thoroughness −Consider contract attorneys for large-scale reviews Memorialize document collection and review processes −Formulate search criteria and parameters −Involve government / regulators, if necessary

20 20Copyright © 2014 Deloitte Development LLC. All rights reserved. Step 3: Preserve / Collect / Analyze Data & Documents (continued) Data preservation −Email −Hard drives −Personal computers −Mobile devices −Hardcopy documents −Local and central servers −Consider global data protection regulations

21 21Copyright © 2014 Deloitte Development LLC. All rights reserved. Step 4: Conduct Witness Interviews Prepare interview outline −Explain purpose −Provide Upjohn instruction −Ask witnesses about compliance with P&P −Exhaust memory before reviewing documents Determine order of witnesses −Internal informational witnesses (may define / redefine scope) −External informational witnesses (e.g., outside auditor) −Internal target witnesses (primary alleged target last) Two-person interviews −Accurate note-taking −Second witness to testimony

22 22Copyright © 2014 Deloitte Development LLC. All rights reserved. Upjohn Warnings Proper Upjohn Warnings −Company requested counsel to gather information in order to provide legal advice to the Company in connection with its investigation of [ __ ] −Counsel represents the Company; not the witness −Interview is protected by the attorney-client privilege −Privilege belongs to and is controlled by the Company; not the witness −Company can decide to waive the privilege and disclose discussion to third- parties without notice to the witness −Keep interview confidential to preserve privilege; witness may not disclose to any third-party, including other employees or anyone outside the Company −Any questions? Willing to proceed?

23 23Copyright © 2014 Deloitte Development LLC. All rights reserved. Step 5: Final Report Form of report −Written report not always necessary or advisable −PowerPoint presentation or oral report reduces risk of privilege waiver Content of written report or presentation −Only factual findings / observations? −Consider legal conclusions and / or recommendations −Identify non-compliance with established policies & procedures Remedial actions resulting from investigation should be documented (e.g., personnel decisions or policy changes)

24 24Copyright © 2014 Deloitte Development LLC. All rights reserved. Disclosing Investigation Results – Impact on Privilege Decision for the Client Outside Auditor −May demand disclosure; require additional work −Failure to disclose may delay audit opinion −Disclosure risks waiver of privilege −Split of authority; no waiver is predominate view Board of Directors −Privilege preserved if board is the client −Sharing can result in waiver if board is not the client −Waiver if conduct of board members at issue

25 25Copyright © 2014 Deloitte Development LLC. All rights reserved. Disclosing Investigation Results – Impact on Privilege (continued) Government / Regulators −Case-by-case analysis −Consider statutory obligations to disclose (e.g., SEC, FDA) −Consider statutory benefits to disclose ◦SEC 2001 “Seaboard Report”: considered in assessing cooperation ◦SEC 2006 ”Statement on Penalties”: considered in assessing penalties Other factors −Government already know? Eventual disclosure likely? −Nature of disclosure; can it be limited? −Anticipate litigation? −Privilege waiver in most cases; assume waiver

26 26Copyright © 2014 Deloitte Development LLC. All rights reserved. Any Questions? ‏ For further information: Rex E. Schlaybaugh, Jr. Dykema Gossett LLP 39577 Woodward Ave., Suite 300 Bloomfield Hills, MI 48304 (313) 568-5370 rschlaybaugh@dykema.com Brian M. Moore Dykema Gossett LLP 39577 Woodward Ave., Suite 300 Bloomfield Hills, MI 48304 (248) 203-0772 bmoore@dykema.com Robert T. Biskup Deloitte Financial Advisory Services LLP 200 Renaissance Center, Suite 3900 Detroit, MI 48243 (313) 396-3000 rbiskup@deloitte.com

27 Copyright © 2014 Deloitte Development LLC. All rights reserved. Member of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited About Deloitte As used in this document, “Deloitte” means Deloitte LLP and its subsidiaries. Please see www.deloitte.com/us/about for a detailed description of the legal structure of Deloitte LLP and its subsidiaries. Certain services may not be available to attest clients under the rules and regulations of public accounting. Copyright © 2014 Deloitte Development LLC. All rights reserved.


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