The art of avoiding unpleasant surprises in proper due diligence
Conducting proper due diligence in today’s business environment is critical to avoiding potential disaster. Even a single bad deal or business relationship can lead to losses; expose the business to legal and regulatory action, including lawsuits; and distract management from more important matters. And rising regulatory requirements are increasing the responsibilities facing businesses as well as the consequences for mistakes.
Fortunately, new due diligence tools are giving businesses and counsel improved capabilities for managing risk. William Barth, Vice President of Fraud & Investigations in the Corporate Counsel segment of Thomson Reuters, recently wrote an article for Metropolitan Corporate Counsel, exploring some of the steps companies can take to help protect themselves. As Barth explains, having the right tools to find the right information and working with experienced researchers who know the nuances of search and information retrieval are key to proper due diligence.
