Our professionals are highly sensitized to the need to maintain objectivity and independence. Moreover, our audits are led by partners who are heavily involved in the engagements and staffed by individuals with the appropriate level of skill and knowledge of our clients’ businesses; and each audit has a suitable level of independent technical oversight. In addition, we strongly urge candid communications between the audit teams and our clients’ audit committees.

We recognize the benefits of a planned, proactive approach. In that regard, we identify possible areas of risk that might require special attention. This advance planning also typically results in an efficient audit process.

Next, we focus on your financial statements and related accounting records, and perform a top-level study of account fluctuations, relationships and overall operating results. This guides us in our next step, developing the scope and emphasis of the audit, including an evaluation of internal controls and related systems.

Our audit approach focuses on maintaining frequent contact with management and the audit committee throughout the year. An active understanding of changes in the business and strategic direction is critical to audit quality. This allows us to proactively identify and address key accounting issues before year end, thereby providing more time to plan ahead for them and avoid so-called “surprises.”

A NOTE ON INDEPENDENCE

We require that all professionals be independent in both fact and appearance when providing auditing and other attestation services, in compliance with the rules issued by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and state regulatory bodies.