Forensic Accountant - Case Study

Forensic Accountants have a duty to maintain absolute privacy when dealing with their clients' information. In this case study, a forensic accountant uses a Lockbox customer portal to keep all communications private, secure and organized during every project.

Daulton CPA

Document intensive and extremely technical, forensic accounting provides highly detailed and audited financial information. This aids and facilitates the judicial process by providing attorneys preparing for trial and settlement negotiations.

Daulton CPA supports its litigators and their clients by providing thoroughly prepared and referenced records and analysis reports produced by reviewing financial data, auditing and investigative evidence gathering.

“Some of the cases we deal with include property disputes, divorce settlements and embezzlement. Not only is it critical that we account for every financial detail that may influence the outcome, we must also ensure that the information is kept completely confidential and away from anyone not directly involved in the case.” - Principal, Bryan Daulton

Challenges

Every project Daulton CPA takes on is different but all involve a detailed review of vast amounts of data: some projects can result in the preparation of up to 13 document binders of information. This information must be copied, stored and shared with Daulton CPA’s attorney clients, who in turn must copy and share this information with opposing counsel as well as the court.

The documents and reports can be stored electronically, however, emailing them is extremely difficult and risky due to size of the files and that the privacy and security of email is never guaranteed.

The attorney-client privilege is a legal concept and one of the most widely recognized and strictly adhered to pillars of professional ethics that protects and upholds the confidentiality of communication between a client and their attorney. The challenge that many legal professionals face is to ensure that private information of this type remains private. This important protection can be lost in seconds due to inappropriate sharing of information – whether by the non-exclusive use of email accounts , an accidental click of “Reply All’ or selecting the incorrect recipient with “Auto-complete”

Solution

Daulton CPA has integrated the Lockbox secure client portal into its workflow process as a way to keep all communications private, secure and organized during every project.

To access case information, clients enter Lockbox via the Client Portal on Daulton CPA’s website. Files are shared and safeguarded with Lockbox’s military grade end-to-end encryption; ensuring that only those individuals associated with the case and authenticated by Daulton CPA, can access it. Lockbox provides Daulton CPA with real-time alerts as to who accesses, downloads or deletes the files and when, and it also offers a complete history/audit report which can be generated as needed.

Lockbox Benefits

Lockbox streamlines the way Daulton CPA works. By eliminating the need for photocopying and collating hard copies, Daulton CPA’s financial litigation professionals can work faster and more efficiently.

“Instead of the inconvenience and labor intensive nature of organizing, copying and transporting hard copy folders or binders, Lockbox allows us and our clients: the attorneys to access any of the information or source materials in two mouse clicks, and then call on any of their notes or case evidence very quickly”

Lockbox also makes it possible for Daulton CPA’s clients to access the information 24 hours a day, 7 days a week,

“While I have the possession of and responsibility for the security of all financial records pertaining to the attorney’s clients, they are not my property. With Lockbox, I can keep that information private, safe and available for them at any time, day or night, without having to call me or physically visit my office”

Attorneys have one of the toughest jobs in the world. In every case, they have to accumulate and refer to detailed information on people in many different contexts – such as custodial, social and financial – they have to recall that information and be able to readily access it. It takes an incredible amount of time and effort to digest. Lockbox allows us to make their life easier by keeping everything in an electronic format and providing attorneys with the information in a secure, easily accessible portal with hyperlinks to relevant documents and contents references.

Finally, Lockbox eliminates the potential for misdirected emails and negates the threat of disclosing private, confidential or sensitive information.

“Lockbox allows me to honor my responsibility in protecting attorney-client privilege. In law, the attorney-client privilege is everything and we have a responsibility to honor it as much as the attorneys who engage our services.”