Corporate internal investigations are necessary to determine whether any laws, regulations, or internal policies were violated and are the first step toward addressing and solving the issue. Protecting the company is critical, as well as evaluating the potential exposure. Prompt action is extremely important, but a full evaluation of documents and data may take time due to the sheer volume of information available.
With an experienced team of attorneys, efficient evaluation of documents and data in a corporate internal investigation offers insight, value, and information vital to the case at hand. In some cases, corporate in-house counsel may not be equipped with enough internal resources to conduct such a large investigation in a timely manner. Additional legal counsel is then sought, in order to maintain confidentiality and advance internal investigations.
The attorneys should conduct witness interviews, review internal documentation, and audit video and audio recordings. It is also important to evaluate any external statements made by the company on the matter, including press releases and other corporate communications. The exploration of documents and data must be thorough and complete.
Investigating the background of the parties included in internal investigations may provide additional data and insight to move the case forward. Additionally, conducting interviews based on an outline and specific questions can yield information that could potentially move the investigation in another direction. These types of questions may also bring new parties into the investigation, as well.
Confidentiality is of the utmost importance when conducting a corporate internal investigation. Professionalism, independent auditing, and the right mindset all matter. To remain objective, impartial, and efficient, outside legal services are often sought. That allows the investigation to proceed smoothly, while ensuring that valuable, vital knowledge is not overlooked.
Baer Reed is a leading service provider for corporations handling internal investigations. Contact us for legal support today.
Mr. Reyes graduated with honors from the Ateneo de Manila University, where he received the Procter and Gamble Student Excellence Award. He obtained his Juris Doctor degree from the Ateneo de Manila School of Law. During law school, Mr. Reyes was part of the Philippine delegation to the Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot held in Vienna, Austria. He was also a member of the Ateneo Society of International Law and the St. Thomas More Debate Society. He completed his internship at the Public Attorney’s Office. He wrote a thesis entitled: “To Kill A White Elephant: An Analysis of the Fiduciary Exception to the Corporate Attorney-Client Privilege”. Mr. Reyes is admitted to practice law in the Philippines and the State of New York.
Ms. Lardizabal-Manzano is a graduate of San Sebastian College-Recoletos, where she earned her B.A. in Political Science. In 2003, she received her law degree from Lyceum of the Philippines and was admitted to practice law in 2004.
Matthew Hersh earned a B.A. in Political Science from Columbia University in 1990 and graduated cum laude from Georgetown University Law Center in 1999. He also holds a master’s degree in international relations from the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service.
Cap. Avi Levak (Res. IDF) graduated from from Israel’s prestigious Ben-Gurion University of the Negev with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and Mathematics. He is also a Leadership and Communication coach trained in TuT coaching by Alon gal in Israel. Avi specializes in high-level, in-depth analysis of business and client needs, within systems and software strategy and architecture.
Ms. Tyler graduated cum laude from Georgetown University and received her law degree, cum laude, from Georgetown University Law Center. During law school, she interned at the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe. She also worked on The Tax Lawyer journal and was a member of the award-winning Barristers’ Council Mock Trial Team. Ms. Tyler is admitted to practice law in the State of California and the District of Columbia.
Ms. Cruz-Anonuevo graduated cum laude and top nine in her batch from Miriam College with a degree of Bachelor of Arts in InternationalStudies. She obtained her Juris Doctor degree from Ateneo de Manila University School of Law in Rockwell. During law school, she interned in Rivera, Santos, Maranan & Associates. She was also part of Ateneo’s Labor Law Bar Operations. She wrote her thesis on, “Stealing Privacy: Limitations on Media’s Photographic Invasion.,” Ms. Cruz-Anonuevo is admitted to practice law in the Philippines.
Ms. Aquino-Batallones obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Development Studies (with Minors in Global Politics and Hispanic Studies) from the Ateneo de Manila University. In 2011, she received her Juris Doctor degree from Ateneo de Manila University School of Law. During law school, she interned at Romulo Mabanta Buenaventura Sayoc & de los Angeles then became an intern of Ateneo Legal Services Center’s Clinical Legal Education Program.
Mr. De Guzman graduated from San Beda College with a degree of Bachelor of Arts Major in Economics and received his law degree from San Beda College of Law. He is multilingual and is fluent in three languages: Chinese, Filipino, and English. He was admitted to the Philippine Bar in 2003.