A Business Valuation Expert’s Perspective Drawing from a presentation at the 2025 NACVA BVFL Super Conference by Glenn Block and Greg Clark, this article explores key elements of effective engagement letters, common pitfalls, and practical examples to guide valuation experts in crafting robust agreements. In the ever-evolving landscape of business valuation and forensic accounting, engagement letters serve as a cornerstone of professional practice. As highlighted in the 2025 NACVA presentation by Glenn Block and Greg Clark, these documents are not mere formalities. Rather, they are strategic tools that can protect practitioners, clarify expectations, and ensure compliance with professional standards. Drawing…
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Assessing the Engagement Prospect In this article, the author shares how he crafted an engagement letter that enabled him to earn far more than a fee he was prepared to accept. Understanding a prospect’s motivation and the underlying facts enabled him to craft an engagement letter that worked for both and earned him $10,000 more. By listening to my prospect and understanding the pain he was in, I crafted an engagement letter with three pricing options that provided the solution he needed. It resulted in me getting a $10,000 higher fee based solely on my report delivery date. Quick Background…
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Get New Work at Fees I Can Live With When it comes to getting new work, one of the required steps is writing what amounts to a combined proposal/engagement letter. It’s more of a proposal if you’re assuming what the prospect wants; it’s more of an engagement letter if you spend time finding out what the prospect needs. But semantics aside, preparing these letters is a lot of work. Given that, what is your proposal win percentage? Are you content with your fees on the proposals you win? If your answer is “no” or “not always,” this article may help.…
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As a risk management professional at CNA, professional liability insurance carrier for nearly 25,000 CPA firms, I am often asked if engagement letters are worth all the effort. The answer, based on my personal and CNA’s claim experience, is a resounding YES! I’ve experienced firsthand the value these letters bring to the table. To read the full article in AICPA, click: Engagement Letter Stories—When They Hurt and When They Worked.
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An Expert Witness Tells All Martin H. Abo, CPA, ABV, CVA, CFF shares the story of a fraud engagement, where he was retained to analyze the business practices of FirstPlus Financial. Mr. Abo shares his experience getting the engagement and testifying in the racketeering case.
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Part III of III This is Part III of a three-part series discussing the basic components of a professional liability lawsuit brought against an accounting firm and its partners, and factors a firm’s managing partner should consider before and during this type of litigation for utilizing applicable insurance coverage, maximizing effectiveness of defense, and, where possible, bringing the controversy to conclusion by settlement. Part I covered the current litigation environment for accounting firms, relevant provisions in engagement letters, responding to subpoenas, professional liability insurance, and the risk of instigating a professional liability counterclaim in a fee collection action. Part II…
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Part II of III This is Part II of a three-part series discussing the basic components of a professional liability lawsuit brought against an accounting firm and its partners and the factors a firm’s managing partner should take into consideration before and during this type of litigation for utilizing applicable insurance coverage, maximizing effectiveness of defense and, where possible, bringing the controversy to conclusion by settlement. Part I covered the current litigation environment for accounting firms, relevant provisions in engagement letters, responding to subpoenas, professional liability insurance, and the risk of instigating a professional liability counterclaim in a fee-collection action.…
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Part I of III This is Part I of a three-part series discussing the basic components of a professional liability lawsuit brought against an accounting firm and its partners; and the factors a firm’s managing partner should consider before and during this type of litigation for utilizing applicable insurance coverage, maximizing effectiveness of defense and, where possible, bringing the controversy to conclusion by settlement. Part I focuses on the current litigation environment for accounting firms, relevant provisions in engagement letters, responding to subpoenas, professional liability insurance, and the risk of instigating a professional liability counterclaim in a fee-collection action. Part…
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Business valuation (BV) liability claims are not as frequent compared to other litigation risks faced by practitioners. On the other hand, there are BV-related liability claims that exist, especially in cases where a valuation report was used to guide financial decisions by businesses, lending services, regulatory agencies, and others, according to Frank Vinluan, in the January 21 issue of FVS News. One of the best ways valuators can reduce their risk of a lawsuit starts with the engagement letter. Engagement letters can help limit a valuator’s exposure by clearly establishing the expectations of work to be performed, the purpose…
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Preparing expert witness testimony that can go the distance Although most expert witness engagements end without an opportunity to present your findings or testimony, this is no excuse to be lax in your analysis. In the handful of occurrences where expert witness testimony will actually be required, it must be clear, concise and thorough enough to go the distance during the proceedings. It must be assumed that every engagement will go to court and each expert witness scenario must be treated as such with regard to research and attention to detail. This overview provides valuable tools to construct a case…