OnPoint’s Director of Forensic and Financial Accounting, Christine Davis, was recently invited to speak about fraud topics and the role of forensic accounting in legal settings at the Practising Law Institute’s annual program, Basics of Accounting for Lawyers 2017: What Every Practicing Lawyer Needs to Know. The Practising Law Institute is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing attorneys and other professionals with the knowledge and expertise needed to excel in the legal field and remain at the forefront of evolving trends. PLI offers a variety of educational programs designed by over 4,000 professionals including CPAs, lawyers, judges, investment bankers, and government regulators. The Basics of Accounting for Lawyers 2017 program was designed as an introductory accounting course that addresses common areas where accounting and law intersect. Accounting fraud, damages calculations, and forensic investigations are such areas where experts with a background in accounting are often asked to assist in litigation matters. Ms. Davis’s specialized skills, extensive litigation consulting experience, and natural ability to build an emotional connection with her audience have not only made her an effective expert witness, but have also garnered her a reputation as an insightful speaker at educational programs, events and college classes. In her presentation, Ms. Davis addressed the application of forensic accounting in a legal setting by describing four examples of cases involving alleged fraud, the role of the forensic accountant in evaluating evidence, and the type of relevant documents containing such evidence. Ms. Davis also illustrated a number of fraud red flags when reviewing financial statements and financial reports, including potentially intentional accounting errors underlying overstated revenues and assets or understated reserves and liabilities, suspected misappropriation of an entity’s cash, and suspected corruption or illegal acts in the form of kickbacks or bribes.
