Grant Thornton Advisory Services

Advisory Services

© Grant Thornton LLP
All rights reserved
U.S. member firm of Grant Thornton International Ltd

Litigation and dispute consulting
services
Advisory services

Today’s litigious business environment poses significant risk
to enterprise value. Grant Thornton’s litigation and dispute
consulting professionals help overcome the complexities
of critical business challenges.

Litigation support Once filed, we are skilled and • Prepare lay and expert witnesses for
Our litigation support services add value experienced in litigation proceedings. testimony.
to all phases of the litigation process. Prior Typical services provided during the • Provide expert testimony in deposition
to the filing of a complaint, we will course of discovery and prior to trial are as and in court.
investigate, perform forensic accounting follows: • Rebut opposing expert testimony.
services, provide a preliminary • Prepare and respond to requests for
quantification of damages, determine production of documents. After settlement or trial, we can assist
possible causes for damages and potential • Prepare and respond to interrogatories. with claims management, the execution of
mitigation. As the case progresses, we • Prepare and confirm stipulations. distribution plans and any ordered
provide case management services to • Interview knowledgeable parties for remedial actions.
determine resource requirements and costs relevant information.
and to assess alternative strategies. • Document identification. Class-action assistance
• Gather, inventory, index and manage We recognize that class-action lawsuits
evidence. require specialized expertise to understand
• Prepare and respond to pleadings. the scope and potential risks associated
• Perform investigation and forensic with claims. Prior to class certification, our
accounting procedures. professionals have had experience dealing
• Provide electronic data discovery and with certification issues and determining if
computer forensics assistance. criteria have been met under Federal Rule
• Mine and analyze data. 23(b), including class membership
• Prepare and defend declarations, definitions, class members and boundaries.
expert disclosures and reports. During litigation, our professionals have
• Calculate damages. the necessary qualifications in accounting,
• Assist to prove liability and causation auditing, finance, economics and statistics
for damages. to serve as consulting or testifying experts.
• Prepare supporting demonstratives
for trial. Continued >

Advisory services

Litigation and dispute consulting
services

Post-acquisition disputes
Expert witness testimony
Business owners and executives take
Our experts realize that the successful
extraordinary efforts to ensure that the sale
outcome of a litigated matter is
or purchase of a business is a success.
significantly dependent on a solid
Nevertheless, transactions may result in
foundation of quality work and
litigation or arbitration to resolve a post-
understandable testimony. We have the
acquisition dispute. Our professionals are
skills, knowledge, education, experience
experienced at providing settlement
and training in accounting, auditing,
assistance, claims support, working capital
economics, finance, statistics, valuation
adjustments and earn-out calculations. In
and taxes to prepare thorough, objective
addition, we are often engaged to serve as
and defensible expert witness opinions on
neutral arbitrators in complex accounting
liability, causation and economic
Damage claim assessments
disputes.
damages, or to rebut inadequate
In most cases, our experts are retained to
testimony offered by opposing experts.
assess and calculate damages in complex
Our professionals specialize in large, Alternative dispute resolution (ADR)
civil cases or to analyze the computations
Many disputes are resolved through ADR
complex commercial cases. We are
of opposing experts. Our experience in
forums, such as settlement conference,
talented and effective at communicating
litigation, arbitration or mediation
mediation, binding and non-binding
our results in reports, demonstratives and
includes, but is not limited to, the
arbitration and tribunal hearings. Our
expert testimony in plain, understandable
quantification of damages for the
professionals have experience serving as
language at deposition or in trial. Our
following claims:
expert witnesses and consultants in all
professionals have been qualified and
• Breach of contract and other
these venues.
have testified as experts in federal,
contracting disputes.
bankruptcy, state and tax courts, as well
• Business interruption claims.
as before arbitration panels.
• Corporate and securities claims.
• Construction-related disputes
Contact information
• Fraud and white-collar crimes.
• Labor and employment disputes. Ron Cote
Executive Director
• Indian and tribal claims.
Forensic Accounting and
• Insurance defense and proof of claim. Investigative Services
T 312.602.8414
• Intellectual property infringements.
E Ronald.Cote@gt.com
• Lost profits.
• Professional services standard-of-care www.GrantThornton.com/advisory
and malpractice assertions.
• Real estate venture disputes.
All rights reserved
• Whistleblower claims. U.S. member firm of Grant Thornton International Ltd

Forensic accounting, fraud
and investigation services
Advisory services

When conducting or responding to corporate investigation,
a swift, strategic approach to controlling damage is paramount.
Grant Thornton’s multidisciplined insights can safeguard
your company’s assets.

• Prepare or assess business interruption
Forensic accounting waste and abuse. Our credentialed
To perform forensic accounting services, claims. specialists use established forensic
we use recognized techniques to gather, • Locate evidence to support claims. investigation methods such as interviews,
analyze and interpret financial and • Determine prior period adjustments to computer forensics, financial analysis,
economic evidence to assist others in accounting books and records. records research and background searches
making informed decisions about business • Validate allegations of white-collar to discover the red flags that make up the
concerns. Among other reasons, forensic fraud, waste and abuse. “fraud triangle:”
accounting is useful to: • Investigate whistleblower claims. • The pressure or incentive to commit
• Determine contractual payments. fraud.
• Calculate license fees and royalties. Our Advisory Services team has a unique • An opportunity to commit fraud.
• Validate construction costs incurred. combination of Certified Public • The ability by the perpetrator to
• Analyze and classify partnership Accountant (CPA) auditors and tax rationalize the fraud.
expenditures. professionals, Certified Fraud Examiners We produce reliable findings and
(CFE), Certified Anti-Money Laundering conclusions, which have been used
Specialists (CAMS), certified electronic successfully in civil, criminal and
data discovery technologists, and high- bankruptcy proceedings, corporate
tech computer and research tools that give actions, governmental inquiries, regulatory
us unmatched capabilities to successfully investigations and insurance claim cases,
perform the most complex forensic among other matters.
accounting assignments.
Fraud prevention and deterrence
To avoid becoming a victim of fraud you
Fraud and investigation
We believe the investigation of fraud must keep it from happening. This process
requires the use of skilled and experienced begins with an assessment of enterprise
fraud and forensic professionals. Our fraud risk. Our professionals are thought
experienced investigators are trained to leaders in this area, experienced at
respond quickly and confidentially to
allegations of fraud, white-collar crime, Continued >

Advisory services

Forensic accounting, fraud
and investigation services

accountable for a similar level of
Anti-money laundering and Foreign
expectations. We have developed the
Corrupt Practices Act compliance
proprietary MACHSM process to assist
The Patriot Act, which amends the Bank
companies in meeting these
Secrecy Act, requires that financial
responsibilities. We have conducted
institutions establish and maintain anti-
whistleblower investigations for public,
money laundering (AML) programs. In
private, governmental and non-profit
addition, U.S. companies are required to
enterprises. Our services have included
comply with the Foreign Corrupt
massive reconstructions of accounts,
Practices Act (FCPA) regarding acceptable
restatements of publicly filed financial
business practices. We have developed a
identifying and evaluating fraud risks,
reports, enforcement activities and expert
proven methodology for performing
designing controls to prevent or deter
testimony.
compliance review assessments to both
them, and monitoring compliance. We can
We have helped management, boards of
improve the quality and efficiency of the
identify fraud schemes and scenarios and
directors and special committees to
control environment and to provide
help evaluate their likelihood and
develop corporate responses, financial
management with reasonable assurance of
significance using proprietary Fraud Risk
reporting and remedial action plans.
compliance at a minimal cost. Our
Assessment Services (FRASSM). We have
approach includes identifying business and
designed a Model Accounting Complaint
compliance risks, assessing and testing
Handling (MACHSM) process to enhance
existing systems, practices and procedures,
the effectiveness and accountability of
and identifying opportunities for
corporate whistleblower claim systems.
Contact information
improvement. The methodology is flexible
We have also developed and implemented
and efficient, and it clearly documents Ron Cote
corporate integrity programs, performed
Executive Director
processes, both manual and automated, to
anti-fraud training, prepared corrective Forensic Accounting and
meet the risk-based methodology required Investigative Services
action plans and monitored anti-fraud
by regulators. T 312.602.8414
internal control compliance systems.

Whistleblower complaints www.GrantThornton.com/advisory
The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (SOX)
gave audit committees of public companies
responsibility for the “receipt, retention
and treatment of complaints received by
the issuer regarding accounting, internal
accounting controls or auditing matters.”
© Gran Thornton LLP
t
It is also apparent that private companies
All rights reserved
and non-profit organizations will also be U.S. member firm of Grant Thornton International Ltd

Intellectual property services

Advisory services

In many successful companies, government or academic sources, and
perform due diligence and competitor

intellectual property is recognized as analysis. We also assess the adequacy of
internal intellectual property management
a source of competitive advantage. processes and consult on corporate
structuring, including the formation of
intellectual property holding companies.
Intellectual property litigation
Our professionals help clients protect and
We serve owners of intellectual property
enforce rights to own and use patents, License and royalty compliance
rights and/or assist in the defense of
trademarks, copyrights, trade dress and We have an unparalleled combination of
alleged infringement in complex litigation
trade secrets and can conclusively licensing and royalty specialists, CPA
matters involving a variety of different
communicate the value of intellectual auditors, tax practitioners and computer
industries, specialties and technologies.
property. technologists to perform license and
Our intellectual property specialists are
A lack of adequate protection and royalty compliance testing. We have been
skilled at calculating damages using the
enforcement measures can put valuable hired to resolve disputes, discover facts to
theories of reasonable royalties, lost
assets and even an entire business at risk. be used in negotiations, determine
profits and the Georgia Pacific factors.
Our intellectual property services contractual compliance and verify payments
Our professionals have been retained as
offerings are enhanced by our ability to made by licensees. Our professionals are
consultants and experts in connection with
assist with license and royalty compliance skilled at identifying compliance issues,
patent, copyright, trademark and trade
issues. quantifying disputed amounts and assisting
secret infringements and contractual with dispute resolution. We bring our
disputes. We are qualified and have extensive computer forensic skills to many
testified on intellectual property damages of these assignments, making us
cases filed in federal and state courts, as particularly cost effective in this area. If the
well as the International Trade compliance testing leads to litigation, we
Commission. can make a seamless transition to an expert
testifying role.
Intellectual property transactions
Our intellectual property specialists bring Contact information
extensive experience from industry and Ron Cote
Executive Director
advisory roles to help evaluate, structure
and execute intellectual property Investigative Services
transactions. We value intellectual T 312.602.8414
property, such as goodwill, patents,
customer lists and trademarks. We evaluate www.GrantThornton.com/advisory
out-licensing opportunities, provide
assistance with the acquisition and sale of
All rights reserved
intellectual property from industry,

Due diligence

Advisory services > Forensic accounting, fraud and investigation services

Put your due diligence target under the microscope. Our
team will conduct a thorough investigation down to the
smallest detail.
Every business transaction carries some Disclosure of hidden facts association’s members by a foreign
• Are there pending lawsuits?
risk. Transactions such as mergers and corporation. We reviewed corporate tax
• Is the business controlled by someone
acquisitions, debt transactions, litigation, and financial data, as well as personal
else?
joint ventures and new business disclosure information provided by board
• Are there undisclosed related interests?
relationships hinge on adequate and members and officers of all parties
• Is there a history of fraud involving the
accurate information. Management must involved in the acquisition. We evaluated
subject?
know with whom they are doing business all sources of funds for each individual and
and if it is possible to get what they want examined each individual’s background for
from the transaction. They also need to suitability to be active in the gaming
Selected examples
A multinational company with various
identify and avoid doing business with industry. We also conducted an analysis to
operations in Australia planned a joint
fraudsters and organized crime groups evaluate the effectiveness of the corporate
venture overseas. We conducted discreet
who are extremely active in today’s global entities anti-money laundering and anti-
inquiries that linked the proposed joint
marketplace. We can help our clients better corruption programs. We reviewed bank
venture company to a silent owner who
understand and manage these risks. statements, vendor contracts, consulting
was involved in financial dealings with a
Through our investigation of public agreements and general ledger activity to
radical Middle East political group. The
records and an extensive array of identify any indicators of business
company had also previously been
databases, as well as our people around the corruption or organized crime infiltration.
involved in protracted litigation with
world, we can provide valuable
Contact information
another multinational company for breach
information.
Ron Cote
of contract and false invoicing. The
Executive Director
investigation provided critical information
Confirmation and verification of known Forensic Accounting and
Investigative Services
to our client prior to decision making.
facts
T 312.602.8414
Grant Thornton was engaged by a
• Does the business exist and is it in E Ronald.Cote@gt.com
multinational association of states and
good standing?
www.GrantThornton.com/advisory
provinces to conduct a due diligence
• Is a resume accurate?
review of the acquisition of the corporation
• Are licenses current?
providing lottery services to the

All rights reserved

Asset tracing

Advisory services > Forensic accounting, fraud and investigation services 2009

In today’s environment of accountability, Selected examples
boards and shareholders are demanding An international businessman involved in
quantification of losses sustained through a tax minimization scheme successfully
illegal acts and recovery of assets. misappropriated millions of dollars from a
Management requires detailed information pool of investor funds. These monies were
of all aspects contributing to losses, before systematically channeled into foreign bank
making important decisions such as accounts using a complex web of
instigating legal proceedings. At Grant transactions. Many of the transactions
Thornton, we appreciate the need to were conducted in countries with strict
perform a cost/benefit analysis before a privacy and disclosure laws. We were
decision is made to pursue assets in the engaged by the investors to assist in
possession of a person or entity. unraveling the complex international
There are many instances where transactions with intentions to recover the
offenders have attempted to conceal assets missing funds. By utilizing our global
from creditors and authorities through resources, we successfully traced the bulk
complicated transactions both on-shore of the monies.
and off-shore. Our investigators are A funds management firm who had
experienced in tracing hidden assets, experienced a major fraud by one of their
determining ownership of those assets and employees sought to recover some of the Contact information
uncovering hidden interests. We collect all lost assets. We conducted a financial
Ron Cote
available evidence from facts, statements, analysis and worked closely with the Executive Director
documents and items that may lead to the client’s counsel to trace the assets. Court
location of hidden assets, both physical orders were used to restrain bank accounts T 312.602.8414
and intellectual. and to search premises. Financial records E Ronald.Cote@gt.com
We use a variety of financial and other evidence were subsequently
investigative techniques. In particularly obtained. We then interviewed people and
complex financial situations, we use conducted further investigations to
diagrams, graphs and flow charts as visual supplement the documentary trail.
aids to demonstrate what has taken place.

All rights reserved

Forensic technology services

Advisory services

At Grant Thornton, our professionals use state-of-the-art
forensic technology approaches to uncover the truth and
resolve complex business problems.
The growth of technology has dramatically that it is corrupted or even deleted. Using Data mining and analysis
The collection of data is only the
increased the risk of computer-related computer forensics and specially designed
beginning of electronic discovery
hardware and software, our technology
fraud. Fact is, sophisticated misconduct
knowledge development. We have
requires equally sophisticated solutions. specialists can help recover, secure and
financial analysts with expertise in
At Grant Thornton, we are raising the bar reconstruct data that may be otherwise
database searches, financial analysis and
unusable, missing or incomplete.
on Forensic Technology Services.
relational assessments. This expertise
assists in identifying and understanding
Data identification Electronic discovery
patterns, trends, relationships and
One of the keys to dealing with large Electronic discovery in connection with
anomalies in order to reach accurate and
quantities of data is the ability to identify litigation may introduce additional
defensible conclusions. In this way, data is
and locate the sources of data relevant to complexity to the process. In such
transformed into information that can be
the matter at hand. This includes a robust matters, there is an elevated need to
used to create knowledge in support of
assessment of storage media, computer preserve the chain of custody and to prove
wise decision-making.
technology, user sophistication and data integrity. Our professionals are
document-retention practices. Our familiar with recent case law and the
technology professionals are experienced potential impact this may have on the Contact information
at performing evaluations to identify data electronic discovery process. Our
Ron Cote
sources and their locations. In some cases, specialists are trained to use standardized Executive Director
we may use sophisticated queries using computer forensic techniques and prepare
proprietary search terms to find relevant our work with the highest quality T 312.602.8414
data. Our work may also include searches standards to preserve evidence that can E Ronald.Cote@gt.com
for unknown technologies and interviews withstand the intense scrutiny and analysis
of records custodians, among other often encountered in litigation. In turn,
procedures. we can provide meaningful and insightful
conclusions and testimony about
electronic evidence and its relevance and
Computer forensics
potential significance.
Once relevant data is identified and
located, it is then necessary to acquire and
preserve it for use. At times, we have
found that data is not in a usable format or
All rights reserved

E-Discovery services

Advisory services

When it comes to managing electronic information, you need
to be prepared for critical events. At Grant Thornton, we
take control of the E-Discovery process, mitigating risk and
saving you time and money.

Thanks to recent amendments to Federal Preservation and collection Hosting and review
• In-house data center benefits
The professionals at Grant Thornton can
rules, regulatory scrutiny, the digital data
help you navigate your way through the You will benefit from Grant Thornton’s
evolution and the ever-present possibility
maze of Electronically Stored Information in-house electronic discovery data
of litigation, companies today require
(ESI). Not only will we collect and preserve center. Grant Thornton IT professionals
thorough, secure and efficient processes
the data, but we will maintain the chain of manage the operation of this data
for managing electronic information. At
custody. Our forensic experts can provide center which ensures a high level of
Grant Thornton, we have expertise,
recovery of lost, hidden and deleted security, minimizes hosting costs and
technical resources and robust processes
information, if needed. We collect and provides global review access.
and technology required to take the risk
• Safe harbor
prepare data in all cases as if we’re going to
out of information collection and
trial. This ensures we are properly prepared Grant Thornton has joined the
management.
should the litigation proceed to court. Department of Commerce safe harbor.
We adhere to the privacy policy that
Planning and scoping
meets the safe harbor framework. This
This is a critical stage in constructing the Processing
enables us to speed the process and
Once the data is in-house at Grant Thornton,
approach. We will work closely with you
collect data from the European Union.
our Electronic discovery experts use a
to develop a comprehensive discovery
• Multi-level security
wide variety of state-of-the-art software to
plan and timelines which meet your
We have a multi-level access security
load and index the data into our E-
requirements. This will ensure that we
system which allows different users to
Discovery platform. Optical character
deliver what you need and when you
have different levels of access. Data
recognition software allows scanned
need it.
review will take place via an encrypted
documents to be stored so they are easy
connection.
for you to search. Indexing also eliminates
duplicate documents, which saves you
time. Indexing will enable easy access and
review for your global team.
Continued >

Advisory services

E-Discovery services
Electronic discovery continuum

Planning
and
scoping

Identification
of potential
enforcement, statistics, investigations,
• Easy access to data for review and relevant data
bankruptcy and valuation, among other
collaboration
specialties. We know how to consistently
We will provide you with global access
manage the complex litigation lifecycle.
to a centralized document repository
to ease the sharing of documents. Preservation
Litigation expertise
Secure web-based access enables and
collection
We have years of experience in assisting
attorneys, clients, contractors and
our clients prepare for trial. We will help
consultants located in multiple global
you with your deposition needs, support
locations to review confidential
with trial materials and expert witness
documents when you need it. An easy
Processing
testimony if needed. Many of our EAS
interface allows you to search,
professionals have testified in federal and
organize, and review electronic and
state courts or have acted as arbitrators in
document discovery information.
complex disputes.
Production
Single point of contact
Relevant documents will be produced for Hosting
and
A single Grant Thornton project manager
you in the format you need – electronic, review
will be assigned to you so you always
paper etc. All documents will be Bates
know who to call.
numbered for your convenience.

Quality service
Why Grant Thornton? Production
Our annual Service Quality Measurement
Single source solutions
survey enables you to rate your
Our Forensic and Investigative Services
satisfaction based on how well our
teams and data center are all in-house. This
engagement teams deliver on client-
enables increased security and control
defined service delivery attributes. We use
since all of the data is being stored in one
this survey to assess our past performance
location for global access.
and identify areas where we can improve Contact information
for the future.
Expert team Ron Cote
Executive Director
A team of experts will be pulled together
Global presence
to meet your needs. Our professionals are Investigative Services
We are able to leverage a global team to
highly qualified and credentialed T 312.602.8414
assist when needed. Grant Thornton LLP
professionals with backgrounds in
is the U.S. member firm of Grant
accounting, antifraud services, arbitration, www.GrantThornton.com/advisory
Thornton International, a global
auditing, computer science, computer
organization of member firms in more
forensics, data acquisition and mining, due All rights reserved
than 100 countries.
diligence, economics, finance, law U.S. member firm of Grant Thornton International Ltd

Restructuring and turnaround services

Advisory services

At Grant Thornton we know that a key factor in crisis
management is navigating change. Our corporate advisory
and restructuring services leaders have time-tested strategies
to turnaround a business, accelerate performance, drive
enterprise value and restore opportunity.
Strategic planning Cash management and financial information effectively. Our trained
Our operational and financial modeling professionals work with our clients to
professionals provide integrated strategic In stressed situations, companies must perform triage diagnostics and define long-
assessments to thoroughly evaluate the measure, report and forecast results, and term stabilization programs. We have
overall performance and direction of a manage cash coincident with increased prepared and evaluated restructuring plans
business, division or a specific product by scrutiny by third parties. By thoroughly (in or out of court), designed and
examining a variety of factors. In this way, assessing short-term cash flows, our cash performed financial and management
our professionals can help develop fully management and financial modeling reporting, provided web-enabled
supported forecasts and plans or refine specialists have proactively addressed these coordination activities, and managed sales
strategic direction. We can also assess and issues to buy time to develop long-term and creditor negotiations.
restructure business trade terms, solutions. We can assist with the In addition, we provide the following
conditions and incentives, and evaluate preparation of integrated cash forecasts, services to assist debtors, debtors-in-
creditor distribution plans as part of a including cash flow reports, payment possession, trustees, examiners, creditors,
recovery strategy. priorities, forecasted versus actual activity, creditor committees and others:
borrowing-base calculations and covenant • Asset tracing.
compliance computations. Using this • Record reconstruction and analysis.
information, we can also identify cash- • Special investigations.
saving and generating ideas to successfully • Analysis of alleged preferential
deal with creditors. payments or fraudulent conveyences.
• Preparation of operating reports, and
regulatory filings and disclosures.
Crisis management
• Reconciliation, substantiation and
Our pragmatic approach to crisis
prioritization of claims.
management situations such as
• Analysis or reorganization plans.
bankruptcy, material financial fraud or a
• Valuation of estate assets.
major restructuring event stabilizes the
environment by coordinating dialogue
Continued >
among stakeholders and processing

Advisory services

Restructuring and turnaround services

Acquisition integration
Supply Chain Risk ManagementSM
Our professionals can help companies
We have prepared a proprietary service
ensure they will secure the synergies and
called Supply Chain Risk ManagementSM
benefits that made the acquisition a
that can identify, quantify and manage
desirable strategy. From pre-acquisition
supply chain risks related to quality, cost
“launch readiness” to post-acquisition
and delivery. The result is a comprehensive
planning and execution, we help maintain a
set of deliverables including, but not
focus on the operating outcomes that
limited to, an enterprise capacity analysis,
underpin the acquisition strategy, reduce
Performance improvement
cash-requirements forecasting, sourcing
the period of uncertainty following the
We believe that performance improvement
alternatives, a supplier rating score,
transaction and accelerate assimilation.
begins with value enhancement that
inventory and warehousing management,
• Financial and operational turnarounds
focuses our clients’ time and resources on
and a proprietary company
• Creditor advisory services
activities that achieve short-term goals and
financial/operational health index. We can
• Supply chain risk management
reinforce their long-term objectives. In
also provide risk containment services
• Operational assessments
concert with our valuation and transaction
during times of supplier crisis to avoid
• Liquidity management
advisory practices, we help identify and
imminent shutdown situations.
implement measurable action plans that
promote the achievement of those goals
Due diligence
Contact information
and objectives. Some of the methods we
Due diligence assignments provide a
have used in the past include: Phil Robinson
structured analysis of companies,
Executive Director
individual sites or specific transactions.
Corporate Advisory & Restructuring
• Project and new product launch
These projects are designed to identify and Services
T 312.602.8130
readiness review and execution.
assess risks and opportunities from
E Phil.Robinson@gt.com
• Manufacturing strategy development
financial and operational perspectives for
and implementation.
each unique merger, acquisition, sale or www.GrantThornton.com/advisory
• Plant rationalization planning and
reorganization situation. We prepare and
execution.
perform financial and operational due
• Supply base consolidation
diligence procedures in connection with
management.
industry risks, financial reporting and
• Capacity planning and balancing.
disclosures, fraud and other enterprise
• Inventory management and
risks, management effectiveness, the
production scheduling improvements.
reasonableness of representations and
• Scrap reduction programs.
warranties, internal controls, the accuracy
• Product cost analysis, mix and pricing
of financial forecasts and budgets, key
optimization.
business relationships, and competitors,
• Process flow mapping and lean
among other matters. All rights reserved
manufacturing implementation. U.S. member firm of Grant Thornton International Ltd

Ronald M. Cote
CPA, CFE, CFI

Executive Director, Economic Advisory Services

Ron is an Executive Director in the Economic participant accounts and resulting in
Advisory Services practices in Grant Thornton’s prosecution by the States Attorney and
Chicago office. Department of Labor
• misrepresentations on commercial insurance
Experience policies leaving multiple organizations
Over a 19 year career, Ron served as financial critically underinsured and exposing a large
auditor, internal auditor, operations analyst and insurance broker to numerous errors &
fraud investigator for two large, publicly traded omissions claims
corporations as well as several mid-size public
Professional qualifications and
accounting firms.
memberships
•
Industry experience American Institute of Certified Public
Accountants
Ron has been responsible for designing and
• Illinois Society of Certified Public
managing fraud investigations, calculations of
Accountants
economic damages and arbitrations in contract
• Association of Certified Fraud Examiners
disputes involving accounting matters.
• Institute of Internal Auditors
Career highlights for Ron include the
Education
investigation, analysis, testing and research of:
Ron received his Bachelor of Science in
• the manipulation of natural gas prices in the
Accountancy at the University of Illinois, Urbana
market and the related overbilling of
customers by a regulated Local Distribution
Contact details
Company (LDC) and its unregulated mid- th
175 W. Jackson Blvd., 20 Floor
stream energy affiliates Chicago, IL 60604
• an asset misappropriation scheme taking T: 312.602.8414
place through the 401K plan of a major F: 312.602.8099
E: Ronald.Cote@gt.com
construction company spanning over seven
years, requiring the examination of nearly 300

All rights reserved

Alla Royfman
CPA (Illinois)

Manager, Economic Advisory Services

Experience Professional qualifications and
Alla has nine years of experience in financial memberships
consulting and litigation support, including Certified Public Accountant (Illinois)
valuation services. Throughout her career, she
served domestic and international clients in Education
diverse industries such as financial services, Alla received her Masters of Business
healthcare, pharmaceuticals, manufacturing, Administration from the University of Chicago
computer software, and telecommunication with concentrations in Finance and Accounting
industries, among others. Alla has managed or and her Bachelor of Science from the University
participated in a variety of engagements involving of Illinois
shareholder disputes, financial reporting and
Contact details
corporate planning as well as the calculation of
th
economic damages. 175 West Jackson Blvd., 20 Floor
Chicago, IL 60604

Prior to joining Grant Thornton LLP, Alla was an T: 312.602.8077
F: 312.602.8025
Engagement Director at American Appraisal E: Alla.Royfman@gt.com
Associates. Her work there consisted of valuing
businesses and intellectual property for financial
advisory, acquisitions, divestitures, privatization,
solvency opinions, debt forgiveness, tax planning,
financial reporting, and other corporate and
financial advisory purposes. Alla’s previous
experience includes performing business
valuations, buy and sell side advisory,
securitization support and due diligence work at
BearingPoint (former KPMG Consulting, Inc.
and prior to that KPMG LLP), and advisory work
at the investment banking department of
BTAlexBrown International’s London office.
All rights reserved

Phillip J. Robinson
CPA (Illinois)

Director, Corporate Advisory & Restructuring Services

emerged from bankruptcy.
Phil Robinson is a Director in Grant Thornton’s
Corporate Advisory & Restructuring Services
Affiliations
practice. Prior to joining Grant Thornton, Phil
• Member - American Institute of CPAs
had 30 years of financial experience including 12
• Member - Turnaround Management
years with a Big 4 accounting firm and 18 years as
Association
a senior financial officer in investment companies
• Member - Healthcare Financial Management
that specialize in acquiring and operating
Association
healthcare, insurance and real estate businesses.
Education
Experience
Bachelor of Science (Accounting), Illinois State
For over 10 years, Phil has been responsible for
University
overseeing the financial aspects of acquisitions,
turnarounds and dispositions of underperforming
Contact details
healthcare entities. He has taken the Chief th
175 W. Jackson Blvd., 20 Floor
Financial Officer role at hospitals and directed the Chicago, IL 60604
strategic planning, treasury management, cost T: 312.602.8130
reduction efforts, service realignments, lender F: 312.602.8025
E: Phil.Robinson@gt.com
relationships, forbearance negotiations and
bankruptcy preparation.

Phil was the Chief Financial Officer of Medical
Management of America, a healthcare
management and turnaround company and was
the Interim Chief Financial Officer for Michael
Reese Hospital. He was also the Chief Financial
Officer for Doctors Community Healthcare
Corp, a six hospital holding and management
company with $400 million in revenues, as it
All rights reserved

Robert A. Lack
CPA/ABV, CFA, CIRA

Director, Corporate Advisory & Restructuring Services

Robert A. Lack is a Director in the Corporate valuations of businesses and assets, assistance in
Advisory & Restructuring Services practice of the development of plans of reorganization, and
Grant Thornton located in Chicago. investigations of alleged fraud and asset
misappropriations. Mr. Lack has advised small
Mr. Lack has significant experience providing closely held businesses as well as billion dollar
financial expertise to both Fortune 500 and publicly traded Fortune 500 companies. In
middle market businesses in distressed situations addition, he has advised and served on unsecured
and transactions. Mr. Lack performs advisory creditors’ committees and served as de facto
work for debtors, creditors’ committees, trustees, Chapter 11 and Chapter 7 trustee.
financial institutions, and customer groups and is
responsible for the overall execution of In addition, Mr. Lack held positions in
turnarounds, financial restructurings, divestitures investment banking, valuation consulting and
and liquidations. Some of the industries served lending with Alex Sheshunoff & Co. Investment
by Mr. Lack include automotive, healthcare, Banking, Hales & Associates, Inc., General
telecommunications, financial services, insurance, Motors Acceptance Corporation and The Mid-
food, retail, manufacturing, and distribution City National Bank of Chicago.

Industry experience Professional qualifications and
memberships
Prior to joining our firm, Mr. Lack spent four
years at Stout Risius Ross, Inc. as a Director in • Certified Public Accountant
their Restructuring & Performance Improvement • Accredited Business Valuator
group and five years at Arthur Andersen LLP as a
• Chartered Financial Analyst
Director in their Corporate Restructuring Group.
• Certified Insolvency and Restructuring Advisor
Mr. Lack was responsible for planning and
• American Institute of Certified Public
executing financial restructurings, divestitures and
Accountants
liquidations. Mr. Lack’s responsibilities covered
• Illinois CPA Society
most aspects of financial analysis and due
diligence in distressed situations and transactions, • American Bankruptcy Institute
including strategic and business planning, • Turnaround Management Association
analyzing capital structures, liquidity management,
development of cash flow models and budgets,
All rights reserved

Education
Master of Business Administration, Saint Xavier
University
Bachelor of Science, Finance, University of
Missouri-Columbia

Contact details
175 W. Jackson Boulevard, 20th Floor
Chicago, IL 60604

T: 312.602.8256
F: 312.602.8025
E: Bob.Lack @gt.com

All rights reserved

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