• Litigation Consulting - QuickRead Top Story

    Case Study: Creative Cash Flow Analysis for Bankruptcy Assignment

    September 10, 2025

    Earlier this year, the author received a business bankruptcy assignment which called for assessing the cash flow for a particular asset in a bankrupt estate and how the circumstances of the estate affected the value of that particular asset. As this assignment continued through testimony and the judge’s ruling, the author wanted to share his experience. While working as an economic expert, I receive numerous assignments in the areas of personal damages, commercial damages, and business bankruptcy. While the assignments for personal and commercial damages cover the waterfront for forensic economic analyses, they have similar aspects in common. One party…

  • Financial Forensics - QuickRead Top Story

    The Value of Simple Analytics in Financial Investigations: A Case Study

    June 4, 2025

    In this article, the author uses a case study to explore how forensic accountants used analytics to identify discrepancies in financial records and support financial investigations. Introduction While we traditionally think of forensic accounting as the specialized area of accounting that focuses primarily on the investigation of financial crimes, forensic accountants are also well equipped to help companies untangle financial records when a company suspects financial records are not properly reflected due to errors. Regardless of the nature of the engagement, the use of analytics can help the forensic accounting professional identify areas to investigate and can provide an indication…

  • Practice Management - QuickRead Top Story

    The #1 Thing Prospects Look for on Your Website

    June 12, 2024

    What is the #1 thing on your website that will convince a prospect that your firm is the right choice for a project? Rod Burkert shares his views on what is needed to go from zero to hero and land that engagement. Imagine I am a prospect for getting your BVFLS services. I found you on Google or LinkedIn. Or maybe I saw an article you wrote. Maybe heard a presentation you gave. Or maybe I got a recommendation from a colleague. It (almost) doesn’t matter. But now, I’m knocking at your website door. What is the #1 thing on…

  • QuickRead Top Story - Valuation/Appraisal

    The Hybrid Approach to Determining Company Specific Risk Using Monte Carlo

    September 13, 2023

    A Case Study In articles published in The Value Examiner, “A Hybrid Approach to Estimating Company Specific Risk,” and “A Hybrid Approach to Determining Company Specific Risk: Using Monte Carlo Simulation,” the author explains the theoretical basis for using a company specific risk premium in the build-up method and presents a methodology for developing the company specific risk premium. Then he shows how to incorporate Monte Carlo simulation into the model. The model is a variation of David Wood’s MUM for allocating personal and business goodwill and the risk rate component model. The following article is a review of some…

  • Financial Forensics - QuickRead Top Story

    Condition, Cause, and Outlook

    June 13, 2018

    Case Study on the Use of Visuals to Track Revenue, Expenses, and Process What is CCO? How is it used? The CCO technique has no traceable origin, but its application is self-evident and imminently practical. The technique is typified by its initialism, i.e., CCO that self-describes the process: what is the condition underlying the problem(s), what is the cause of the underlying problem(s), and what is the outlook of the underlying problem? Here, the author provides an illustration of CCO and how his firm used it in an engagement.

  • Litigation Consulting - QuickRead Top Story

    When Do Economic Damages Accrue?

    November 1, 2017

    The Case of the Delayed Real Estate Development In a situation where there is a claim of wrongdoing and one party suffers pecuniary damages, it is incumbent on the economic damages expert to precisely define the period of such claimed damages to properly quantify them. The outcome is largely dependent on the expert’s processes for determining damages, the components of the Expert Report, and the ability to remain unbiased and issue opinions independent of the client’s interests.

  • QuickPress

    Social Capital’s Backdoor Unicorn IPO

    October 11, 2017

    We have recently discussed the changing dynamics of the IPO market and startups’ shifting perspectives in regards to going public.  Public offerings have not all gone wrong this year, but latest rounds of unicorn IPO flops appear to have dampened some investors’ outlook on the traditional IPO route.  Nevertheless, unicorn investors still need liquidity and are turning to creative ways to get the IPO pipeline flowing again. To read the full article in Mercer Capital’s Financial Reporting Blog, click: Social Capital’s Backdoor Unicorn IPO. This article is republished from Mercer Capital’s Financial Reporting Blog.  It is reprinted with permission.  To…

  • Litigation Consulting

    Business Interruption

    September 20, 2017

    A Unique Assessment of Commercial Damages Business interruption is a form of commercial damages that may include both breach of contract and torts. While it is not common for financial experts to be hired in business interruption situations, some claims require their expertise. Unlike a traditional lost profit analysis, business interruption calculations are unique. Any expert asked to make such an analysis should consider lost profits (projected revenue for the loss period less saved expenses), non-saved expenses that are ongoing during the interruption, and extra or expedited expenses the business has to incur to reopen. This article addresses the work…

  • Litigation Consulting - QuickRead Featured - QuickRead Top Story

    Lost Profits and Other Commercial Damages

    December 20, 2016

    A Case Study (Part II of II) This is the second of a two-part article. In the first part, Dr. Needham provided factual background regarding this commercial damages case where he served as plaintiff’s damages expert—the case ultimately went to trial. In this second part, Dr. Needham describes the financial data, discovery challenges, the Daubert motion to disqualify him, how the case was decided, and then settled. QuickRead thanks Dr. Needham for sharing this case.

  • Litigation Consulting - QuickRead Featured - QuickRead Top Story

    Lost Profits and Other Commercial Damages

    December 14, 2016

    A Case Study (Part I of II) Most commercial damages assignments call for the calculation of lost profits or lost business value. However, some cases, particularly those relating to lost profits, contain elements of additional economic damages. These situations require the expert to focus on multiple areas of loss while insuring each element does not contain losses claimed by another. In this two-part article, Dr. Needham shares how he approached a case that went from report preparation to deposition, and ultimately trial testimony. In the second part of this article, Dr. Needham discusses the jury verdict and settlement. The purpose…