Protecting Corporate Entities, Their Officers and Directors
Directors and officers operate in a very difficult environment where business decisions can put themselves and their companies at risk for legal and regulatory exposure. The attorneys at HMBR understand these challenges, counseling and assisting clients in internal investigations, government investigations and litigation. Our lawyers represent both corporate entities and officers and directors in a wide range of industries, from health care and education to financial services and labor-management trusts. The lawyers at our firm have a solid understanding of both the duties and responsibilities of corporate directors and officers as well as the laws regulating corporate governance matters. We harness this knowledge to help our clients monitor and address claims involving all types of alleged misconduct, including breach of fiduciary duty, breach of contract, fraud and corporate mismanagement.
Conducting Internal Investigations
HMBR attorneys have substantial experience conducting internal investigations on behalf of clients that that may come under fire for the actions of the officers and directors. During an internal investigation, our lawyers thoroughly review all conduct in question to determine whether such conduct followed both in-house policies and applicable laws and regulations. Upon the completion of an investigation, we outline the steps the client will need to take to address the situation, ranging from terminating an individual, to revising organizational policies and procedures, to filing a report with regulatory authorities.
While much of our activity in this area is focused on helping organizations prepare and respond to potential government investigations, our attorneys also conduct audits of organizations well before the government gets involved. For instance, in highly regulated industries such as health care and education, when a new law or regulation is passed, our team will review organizational policies and procedures to make sure the organization is in compliance with new rules and requirements.
Guiding Clients Through Government Inquiries and Investigations
Beyond working with the corporate entity, the attorneys at our firm are also frequently hired by individual directors and officers whose conduct may place them at risk for both civil and criminal liability. In these situations, our lawyers act quickly to resolve the matter before the government takes action against the individual. When a government agency has made an inquiry or initiated an investigation, our team works with the officer or director to make sure they understand the process and know how to properly respond to the agency’s demands and requests. Our objective is to protect our clients’ legal rights while working to bring the matter to a swift and favorable conclusion.
If a lawsuit is brought against a client after the completion of an investigation, our attorneys will carefully analyze the information uncovered during the investigation to develop a solid defense. We will also work to collect additional information and interview witnesses to help support our litigation strategies and defense plan.