If you are involved in or considering litigation or arbitration, you will need specialist support that covers a broad range of expertise and sector experience.

Grant Thornton is often required to analyse, interpret, summarise and present complex financial and business-related issues in a manner which is understandable and properly supported. Our assistance in legal proceedings often involves testifying in court as an expert witness.

Members of our team have been engaged as an expert witness on matters including: 

  • share, business and IP valuation 
  • financial damages/loss of profits 
  • relationship property disputes 
  • financial investigations and forensic accounting 
  • commerciality of business transactions 
  • director liability 
  • professional liability 
  • accounting rules interpretation.

A qualified opinion: Complex accounting and auditing standards 

In the case of a dispute, the facts around your financial reporting and obligations can be a crucial, objective piece of evidence. But, articulating these and representing them in their correct form – in a way that all parties to a case can understand – has the potential to make or break a case. 

As your organisation grows, diversifies or changes, so too do your financial reporting, accounting and auditing obligations. The raft of accounting and auditing standards you must apply – not only for New Zealand but other jurisdictions – can be complex. Where not applied correctly, you can be exposing your organisation and its leaders to significant penalties, disruptions or even future disputes. 

We can interpret and apply the most complex and technical standards in a practical sense, as well as articulate these clearly in major disputes about the application of accounting standards and the work performed by auditors. 

David Ruscoe
Partner and Financial Services Lead
David Ruscoe