Clayton Utz launches Forensic & Technology Services practice with new partner appointment

Sydney, 21 February 2017: Clayton Utz has recruited Paul Fontanot from global accounting firm EY to head up a dedicated national Forensic & Technology Services practice. Paul will join the firm in Sydney on 1 March 2017 as a partner.

Paul was most recently a partner and Asia-Pacific Quality and Risk Leader of EY's Fraud Investigation & Dispute Services (FIDS) team, in which he spent 20 years. Paul has worked with many multinational clients in identifying and managing fraud and corruption risk, as well as cyber-risk. His experience includes conducting fraud and regulatory investigations, designing and implementing Anti-Fraud Programs and corporate compliance programs, managing IT forensic analysis, preservation and data review programmes, as well as forensic accounting.

Clayton Utz Chief Executive Partner Rob Cutler said the new practice, headed by Paul, would offer clients the complete package of forensic investigation, forensic accounting, forensic technology and front end transaction services and would be complementary to the firm's full service legal offering. Rob said the enhanced offering would also enable the firm to better respond to increasing demand from clients for services that help them identify and manage fraud and corruption risk at an early stage.

"Our existing Legal Technology Services (LTS) practice, led by Jonathan Prideaux, has worked alongside our practice groups for many years, particularly our Dispute Resolution practice, to provide our clients with tailored, innovative  electronic data and evidence management and legal project management solutions.

"We're now building on that capability by expanding services in forensic investigations, forensic accounting including forensic data analytics, which reflects our clients' needs for these services and enables us to take a complete service to the market. Paul's experience, particularly advising multinationals on investigations and risk, will be hugely valuable to our clients."

Paul said he was pleased to bring his experience to a law firm that was providing a smart and complete solution to a specific client need. "Clayton Utz is one of the leading law firms in Australia and a leader in LTS and dispute resolution advice and services, and my experience will complement that. Clients are increasingly grappling with issues such as cyber-risk, the impact of global anti-bribery legislation, and contract risk in the supply chain. We can help them identify and manage that risk in a practical way, under one firm."