Please feel free to contact me anytime to share your thoughts.
I recently spoke at SCCE’s Compliance Investigations Workshop about the use of consultants and other third parties to assist in performing investigations. The group had several lively discussions about this topic, one that can create more liability than it mitigates if handled improperly.
There are three primary reasons for considering bringing in outside help. The most obvious are independence and geographic capacity. If there is a real or even a remotely perceived element of a lack of independence, the investigator needs to bow out. This not only applies to personal and financial relationships, but also to past interactions at work and even reporting structure. The latter is the primary reason why some organizations automatically outsource any investigation into allegations of wrongdoing by senior management.
