Considerations in Mergers and Acquisition Disputes

Understanding your role in mergers and acquisitions

Because disputes regarding purchase price, working capital, and warranties are common in mergers and acquisitions (M&A), forensic practitioners are often engaged to help their clients settle these disputes. Learning about the considerations unique to these engagements will help you develop and execute an appropriate work plan for M&A disputes. You’ll examine various topics, including:

• How to assess the facts and circumstances specific to individual cases
• Ways to determine the required work for each engagement

Breaking down the complexities of mergers and acquisitions

As a practitioner, familiarity with M&A processes and disputes can help you further your professional development and expand your service offerings. You’ll delve into the specificities of mergers and acquisitions, including:

• Key stages of the M&A process
• Types of M&A disputes
• Forensic accounting roles in M&A transactions

Achieving your goals

You’ll take steps toward augmenting your professional knowledge and expanding your service offerings by:

• Understanding the forensic practitioners role in mergers and acquisitions
• Building your knowledge in a burgeoning subspecialty within the accounting profession
• Earning CPE credit to maintain licensure
• Working toward your CFF® credential to expand your service offerings

Who Will Benefit

• Members of the AICPA who are interested in earning the Certified in Financial Forensics (CFF®) credential
• Professionals in the broader accounting, managerial, legal, and international business industries with an interest in forensic and fraud risk management services

Key Topics

• Mergers
• Acquisitions
• Key stages of the merger and acquisition process
• Types of merger and acquisition disputes
• Forensic accounting roles in mergers and acquisitions
• Representations and warranties insurance (RWI)

Learning Outcomes

• Differentiate between a merger, an acquisition, and their various structuring options.
• Apply finance procedures in the different stages of the M&A process.
• Identify a forensic accountant’s roles and service offerings within the M&A context.
• Identify the types of M&A claims, disputes, and damage perspectives that may arise from a transaction.
• Distinguish a forensic accountant’s role in transactions that include representations and warranties insurance.