Corporate Investigations
Our attorneys have extensive experience representing clients in corporate investigations, employee concerns and allegation response matters, including regulatory enforcement proceedings, criminal cases and matters involving fraud, corporate theft, unfair competition and employee misconduct. We specialize in conducting corporate investigations in the energy, technology, software and transportation industries and have handled complex internal investigations involving the interviews of hundreds of witnesses.
We have experience in a wide variety of employee concerns and allegation response matters and advocate for our clients before state and federal courts and in mediation and arbitration proceedings, as well as before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Department of Labor, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and other state and federal agencies. We have represented corporations and hundreds of their employees in connection with government investigations and regulatory enforcement proceedings.
We take a preventative approach in counseling clients and have extensive experience in the following areas:
• Preparation of employee training materials and personnel policies
• Separation/retention of employees
• Implementation of discipline and discharge protocols
• Preparation of confidentiality and joint defense agreements and trade secret programs
• Compliance with health and safety regulations
Brown Werner attorneys counsel employers with regard to workplace investigations, including allegations of employee misconduct. We are frequently called upon to assist with investigations of employee concerns, employment discrimination, disability, “whistleblower” claims and compliance with safety culture and security culture policies.
Brown Werner attorneys also provide specialized employment-related services to address the business needs of our clients. These services include performance of employment practice audits and training programs designed to meet a client’s specific needs with regard to a wide variety of workplace issues, including harassment, compliance with employment discrimination laws, minimizing liability in discipline and discharge decisions and compliance with government regulations.
Our experience in this area includes the following:
• Brown Werner attorneys conducted the United States phase of the investigation of multi-million dollar claims of corporate fraud and embezzlement on behalf of the an international petroleum corporation and its subsidiary shipping company.
• Our attorneys investigated claims of employment discrimination at a radioactive waste cleanup facility pursuant to Section 211 of the Energy Reorganization Act, including allegations of harassment, intimidation and retaliation in response to employees raising nuclear safety concerns pertaining to radiological controls and compliance with DOE requirements.
• Brown Werner attorneys conducted independent investigations of employee concerns arising from, among other things, workplace health and safety issues arising in the production, petrochemical and pipeline operations of a multinational oil and gas company.
• Our attorneys investigated claims of employment discrimination at a regional port authority, including claims of harassment, intimidation and retaliation in response to employees raising public safety concerns.
• Our attorneys investigated claims of employee dishonesty, theft of trade secrets and patent infringement on behalf of a software company related to company’s development and marketing of knowledge management software and enterprise content management software.
• Brown Werner attorneys conducted investigation of employment discrimination claims asserted against a national retail clothing company, including allegations of racial and gender discrimination and retaliatory discharge.
• Brown Werner attorneys conducted investigation of hostile work environment and sexual harassment claims asserted by maintenance personnel at a hotel facility.
• Brown Werner attorneys investigated claims of corporate fraud and represented multinational corporation in resulting litigation and arbitration matters involving accounting, finance and disclosure issues associated with insurance-backed financing for motion picture productions.