Directors Roundtable: Hot Topics in High Profile Investigations

The past year stands out for the continuing spate of high-profile investigations—from Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s probe, to #MeToo cases and other allegations of senior executive misconduct—dominating the headlines. Such investigations share a critical component: often the investigators themselves, as well as others responsible for the investigations, including management, officers, and directors—are under as much scrutiny as the targets. The panelists will discuss best practices and key considerations for conducting internal investigations against this backdrop, including the circumstances under which an internal investigation should be conducted, and who should conduct high-profile or particularly sensitive investigations. Other topics will include:

• the extent to which the #MeToo Era is changing internal investigations;
• securities laws issues relating to the disclosure (or lack thereof) of allegations of senior management misconduct;
• how appropriately-scoped and managed internal investigations can be used to influence regulatory oversight and minimize collateral business consequences;
• proactive steps to consider in crisis situations;
• the rules of the road for engaging with the media; and
• using communications reputation experts.

Goodwin partner Jennifer Chunias joins Rachel Hershfang, Senior Trial Counsel at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, and Joseph Baerlein, Owner and Principal at Baerlein & Partners, as panelists for the program.

For more information, please visit the event website.