Internal Ethics & White Collar Investigations

There may come a time in an organization’s existence when something goes wrong — sometimes really wrong. If an employee, executive, director, contractor, or other affiliate commits misconduct, the incident may expose the organization to financial or criminal liability. The event may become a breaking news story for every news outlet and social media feed.

Internal Investigations

Adverse events happen, no matter how careful, complete, or rigorous a company’s oversight, handbooks, and operating procedures. Commonplace examples include an employee using the company credit card for personal purchases, a supervisor harassing a subordinate, an employee hurt on a construction site, an executive committing insider trading, or someone violating OSHA, FDA, FDIC, FEC, FAR, FINRA, or any of the hundreds of other federal, state, and local agency regulations.

If something goes wrong, your company, brand, livelihood, and future are on the line. You need to know what happened and be on top of the events, so when the world knocks on your door, you have answers. Having the most complete and accurate answers mitigates criminal, civil, and tort liabilities, as well as social pain and embarrassment.

Quickly recognizing and investigating the allegations before outside organizations (and government agencies) get involved allows you to take immediate and appropriate action, get “ahead of the narrative”, and avoid surprises. In the rare case the misconduct was egregious or criminal, having an independent, complete, and thorough investigation to provide to law enforcement or an oversight agency gives that agency evidence to support recommendations against organizational penalties, fines, and litigation.

Our Experience

The attorneys at MNB Meridian Law have defended against and prosecuted hundreds of internal investigations into employee misconduct, financial crimes, sexual assault and harassment allegations, and organizational-wide matters that were the focus of public attention for months.

The crucial key to successful investigations is taking proactive measures to understand what happened as quickly as possible. Using that information, your organization can take appropriate, legally defensible, and unbiased action based on established laws, regulations, and company policies and procedures. Only then can you have comfort in knowing your assets are protected and liability minimized. MNB Meridian Law attorneys can help you get there.

Contact Us for Internal Investigation Assistance

For assistance with an internal investigation, please contact us by calling 215-268-3003 or using the online contact form. With offices in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Alexandria, Virginia, MNB Meridian Law serves clients throughout the United States and around the globe.

What We've Done

Grade Determination

A senior Department of Defense officer received a reprimand for an administrative error. After the reprimand was filed in their official military personnel file, the officer submitted for retirement. The Secretary concerned placed the officer’s file before a grade determination review board. The retired grade of any rear admiral or major general…

Navy Sailor Retained after Positive Urinalysis for Prescribed Medication

A Navy Sailor with 8-years of service tested positive for oxycodone after being prescribed and taking hydrocodone after surgery. He went before the Mast, was reduced one rank, and placed on restriction and extra duty for 45-days. Due to “Big Navy” policy to process all positive urinalysis for administrative separation, and given his time in ser…

Army Paralegal (27D) Proposed Withdrawal of AR 27-1 Certification

The Soldier, an Army paralegal, received a General Officer Memorandum of Reprimand. Pursuant to Army Regulation 27-1, the paralegal was de-certified. MNB Law Attorneys successfully argued the misconduct was unrelated to his status as a paralegal and did not involve conduct of moral turpitude or violence. The Judge Advocate General (TJAG) agreed and…

Former Army Specialist with PTSD and “Limited Use”

In March 2003, an Army Specialist suffered from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) after participating in the first and only post-9/11 combat parachute jump, into Iraq. Shortly after his return he started to self-medicate with marijuana. He self-reported his PTSD and after pre-treatment urinalysis, the command improperly used the limited-use inf…

Army Reserve Administrative Separation

The Army initiated administrative separation after a reserve officer, with 18 years of service, was issued a letter of reprimand for advertising his business wearing a de-identified Army combat uniform and mentioning his Army reserve status. During the administrative separation board, the Government tried to introduce additional alleged misconduct,…
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