Corporate Internal Investigations

When a whistleblower report or an unexplained discrepancy suggests wrongdoing inside the company, the first decisions matter most: who is told, what is preserved, and whether the enquiry is conducted in a way that will stand up if it later reaches a regulator or a court.

Wise Counsel conducts internal investigations for boards, shareholders and management in Vietnam — discreetly, independently of the individuals concerned, and with findings documented so they can be relied on.

What we help with

• Scoping the investigation and advising who within the company should be informed
• Preserving documents, emails and electronic records before they can be altered
• Investigating suspected fraud, embezzlement and misappropriation of company assets
• Investigating conflicts of interest, undisclosed related-party dealings and kickbacks
• Conducting interviews with employees and managers, with appropriate warnings
• Working with forensic accountants and IT specialists where required
• Advising on labour law limits when investigating and disciplining employees
• Reporting findings to the board and advising on disciplinary, civil and criminal options
• Advising on voluntary disclosure to authorities and on managing the consequences

An investigation run by the same managers who may be implicated is worth little. We act independently, and we tell the board what the evidence shows rather than what is convenient.