Litigation Support Services

As a litigation consultant, Ms. Zouzias has managed a variety of business valuation assignments and complex financial analysis of commercial litigation engagements including breach of contract, shareholder dispute, fiduciary self-dealing, retaliatory discharge and business interruption, as well as patent infringement and trade secrets litigation.  Ms. Zouzias has also executed collaborative dispute resolution and mediation services, formulating settlements and financial scenarios that minimize and resolve conflict between parties, avoiding costly litigation through the court system.

Ms. Zouzias has testified as an expert with respect to damages, lost profits, and self-dealing in business interruption, shareholder dispute, and guardianship cases.  She has assisted counsel in providing litigation management including discovery, deposition and cross-examination assistance, and preparation of trial testimony and trial exhibits.

Ms. Zouzias has assisted organizations in operational and financial risk management analysis and internal controls development and implementation.  She has identified the underlying weaknesses in internal controls creating the opportunity for dishonest acts, analyzing risk tolerance, and developing solutions to manage and curtail risk.  Ms. Zouzias has designed and presented continuing education seminars in the prevention and detection of financial fraud for the Illinois CPA Society.

Ms. Zouzias has managed financial fraud investigations and quantified embezzlements via payroll fraud, cash/check substitution schemes, account receivables lapping/hiking, misappropriation of funds, collusion, bank fraud, financial statement misrepresentation, corruption, self-dealing, licensing revenue misstatements, and other accounting irregularities.  She has performed fraud and licensing revenue investigations for biotechnology, manufacturing, insurance, retail, and various service clients.

Our principals have over 40 years experience as financial advisors and forensic accountants, helping individuals, businesses and attorneys on their accounting, tax and litigation matters.  Our principals have been hired by Fortune 500 companies to help them identify losses, disclose business value and safeguard their assets. We unlock the mystery behind the numbers and that is invaluable to our clients.  In fact, we are so well-respected that we were hired by our state's CPA Society to teach our peers how to interview suspects and how to detect possible fraud.  Further, our litigation principal has been hired by several governmental bodies to audit units of the government and identify any misconduct or mismanagement of funds. 
 

YOU WANT US ON YOUR TEAM. 

Our Litigation Support Services:

Andrew B.- Partner, International Law Firm

One of our clients, a large equipment manufacturer that also provides financing to its customers for significant equipment purchases was concerned.  It suspected that one of its key employees might have a conflict of interest that required further inquiry.  

It was immediately apparent to me that my client was in need of the services of a top-line investigator.  Because the client was a subsidiary of a foreign parent corporation, it was important that the investigator be sensitive to the cultural dynamic of the clientÙs business.  In less than a day, Christiana and her team strategically planned the investigation, taking into account both the conservative nature of the client and the need to act quickly and assertively. They promptly thereafter identified the fraud and its paper trail via sophisticated computer investigation and interviews of key witnesses.

Through their efforts, sufficient and critical evidence was gathered that proved to be essential in recovering assets.  Their thorough, well-planned investigation served as the catalyst for the fraudfeasor coming up with the funds to compensate our client for its significant losses.  Thanks to Christiana and her team, our client was able to solve its business problem without having to resort to potentially embarrassing and expensive litigation.

Equally impressive was the manner in which this delicate situation was handled.  The investigation team accomplished all of this without disturbing the working environment, unnecessarily alerting employees, customers, or damaging critical lending relationships.

My client was also extremely pleased with the outcome.  We have since worked with Christiana and her team on other sensitive matters and have been equally pleased with their exemplary professionalism.