Financial Valuation
Virtual Conference

The litigation environment can have a huge impact on the valuation process. Litigation virtually guarantees a challenge to the valuation expert’s opinions and credentials, and invariably adds additional requirements and restrictions on the methodology, evidence and assumptions that underlie the valuation opinion.    

In this session Industry Expert Brian Dillard and Forensic Valuation Expert Michael Kaplan explore the dynamics of valuation in the litigation environment—focusing upon the risks that accompany traditional approaches to valuation and how an industry expert can provide foundational evidence and alternative perspectives that will significantly bolster the credibility of the valuation expert’s conclusions.

After completing this session, attendees will be able to: 

• Describe additional risks that the litigation environment brings to the valuation process
• Identify potential deficiencies and risks inherent in traditional approaches to the valuation process
• Recognize areas in which an industry expert introduces credibility well beyond traditional research and valuation analytics

The estimation of the parties spending on lifestyle and income available for support are major issues in most divorce proceedings. This session will focus on the various issues encountered and how to fill in the open holes due to missing or incomplete information. A discussion on analyzing and reconciling data to presenting this information in schedules and reports to be used for trial or settlement.

After completing this session, attendees will be able to:

• Identify that various issues practitioners commonly encounter is family law engagements
• Assemble data and recognize the holes in discovery production and recommend solutions to assist parties
• Compose reports as well as critique reports of others summarizing the impact of the data on their analysis

This session covers the foundations and fundamentals of business income and extra expense damages information. It includes alternative approaches and methodologies, notable insurance policy sections, foundational evidence and research sources, and reporting guidelines and strategies embraced by the most effective business damages experts.

After completing this session, attendees will be able to:

• Recognize the differences between traditional lost profits and interruption claims
• Explain the relevant time periods within an interruption claim
• Implement interruption claims using the two common damage calculation methods

In this session the presenter will discuss the following: 1) Comparisons of the Traditional Audit Model based on Management Assertions to the Forensic “Testimonial Model"; 2) Forensic Credentials—Fraud Related versus Litigation Support Related; 3) Similarities between an Audit Engagement versus a Forensic Engagement; and 4) Practice Tips for a successful forensic engagement and the management of forensic evidence.

After completing this session, attendees will be able to:

• Identify the tools and knowledge necessary to understand the nature, differences, and similarities of forensic evidence used during the litigation process and audit evidence normally gathered during a traditional audit engagement
• Evaluate court room etiquette and rules of evidence applicable to the testifying expert in support of an opinion proffered

Financial modeling is simply a mathematical model developed to solve a specific financial or accounting problem. Financial forecasting applies mathematical modeling methods to provide alternative probable quantitative outcomes for a specific proforma (historic) or prospective financial decision.

Financial modeling applied to forecasting is a sequential processing dependent on the defined objectives, development of valid assumptions, assembling sufficient data, model formulation, implementation, and testing. The three fundamental forecasting models include Times Series analysis, Cause-and-Effect and Judgmental. Selecting the appropriate modeling method based on is based on the outcome objectives and assembled data. A systematic approach to assembling and evaluating the data based on the design objectives and assumptions is critical. Initial perceptions and observations may require revision during the process to achieve the design objectives.

After completing this session attendees will be able to: 

• Utilize financial modeling as an analytical tool to improve decision making
• Describe the structured process of developing a financial model
• Identify common errors occurring in financial models
• Recognize financial forecasting as a measure of the mathematical relationships intrinsic to financial accounting
• List elements of constructing a movable and scalable financial forecast which is an extension of the historic data
• Evaluate the calculation and minimization of forecasting errors
• Describe the evaluation of financial model outcomes in determining optimum and acceptable solutions to the decision problem

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Information Forthcoming

Knowledge of the rules of civil procedure and evidence as they relate to expert witnesses, their reports, their testimony, and provides an arsenal for challenging expert witnesses on cross examination as well as armor to protect experts from opposing counsel. This session will provide experts with updates on current issues in, and changes to, the Federal Rules of Evidence and Civil Procedure relevant to their role in the litigation process while highlighting differences between federal and state practices.

After completing this session, attendees will be able to:

• Construct stronger expert reports
• Prepare for rigorous cross-examination (as either the witness or the interrogator)

In the world of evaluating damages, experts must grapple with achieving a reasonable degree of certainty. Whether it be projecting future earnings of an individual or forecasting revenue and expenses for a company, financial experts cannot with 100% certainty predict financial outcomes that have not occurred or did not occur. We therefore abide by the “reasonable degree of certainty” standard in applying our skills, knowledge, education, experience, and/or training to the facts of the matter, to form opinions on those financial outcomes that never actually occurred.  This session explores the application of Monte Carlo simulation to damages analyses that contain inputs that may not be known with a reasonable degree of certainty.

After completing this session, attendees will be able to:

• Define what Monte Carlo simulation is
• Demonstrate the uses of Monte Carlo simulation in financial forensics
• Construct Monte Carlo simulation models
• Apply Monte Carlo simulation to damages analyses
• Assess one's reasonable degree of certainty with Monte Carlo simulation
• Utilize Monte Carlo simulation for other purposes

This session's content is designed and constructed for financial and non-financial professionals who require sophisticated investigative, analytical, and reporting skills to stay ahead of accelerating civil and criminal wrongdoer duplicity. Content includes actual report format, analysis format, and live, in-class quizzes.

After completing this session, attendees will be able to:

• Describe the leading covert financial forensics tools, techniques, methods, and methodologies
• Identify the behavior and relevant human personality traits foundational to forensic assignments
• Gain exposure to the leading works, research, and practitioners in this arena
• Demonstrate the obscure yet powerful forensics tools and techniques
• Gain insight into how to target decision makers, e.g. attorneys, law enforcement, patriarchs/matriarchs, via the specialized fields of financial forensics