Computer Forensics and e-discovery
Computer Forensic and e-Discovery solutions for your business
Disputes, investigations, and litigation issues all require sound evidence to build the strongest case possible. That’s where MNP’s forensic specialists can help. Our team of accounting, investigative, and IT professionals can find electronic evidence you never even knew existed. By combining technical knowledge and investigative insight, we can recover vital information that is pivotal to your case.
More than 95% of business documentation is generated through computers now — yet less than 30% is printed . If you have been reviewing paper records only, you could be missing key evidence and not meeting your legal obligations for due diligence.
Using software and investigative techniques recognized by both Canadian and International courts, MNP’s experienced team tracks and analyzes data from a wide range of digital devices and storage media.
Computer Forensics
All corporations must show due care when investigating an allegation or complaint. This includes protecting electronic data that may be relevant to each party involved in litigation. The use of in-house IT staff often results in data corruption and potential oversight of relevant material. They may also be seen as biased or in a conflict of interest position. Using an experienced and certified investigator will help you avoid sanctions from the court for spoliation of data.
MNP can help minimize these risks by using court-recognized methods for acquiring, analyzing, reporting, and disclosure of data. Depending on your individual needs, our computer forensic services includes full forensic acquisition of all electronic devices, analysis of device content by keyword searching, recovery of deleted data, email analysis and production, picture and image review as well as compiling Internet history activity.
We can assist you in a wide range of potential disputes:
- Fraud
- Intellectual property theft and copyright infringement
- Contract disputes
- Employment law cases and wrongful dismissal allegations
- Breach of appropriate use policies (Internet and e-mail abuse)
- Abuse of Authority or Misconduct
E-Discovery
Electronic Discovery in both civil and criminal litigation is on the rise. The Sedona Canada Principles state that electronically stored information is discoverable and that parties must take reasonable and good faith steps to preserve potentially relevant electronically stored information. MNP can assist your organization in all stages of the discovery process, including:
Identification: Locate sources of electronically stored information (ESI)..
Preservation: Identify procedural changes required to protect ESI, including data retention procedures.
Collection: Ensure continuity of exhibits through forensic acquisition of ESI.
Processing: Identify relevant ESI through keyword searches.
Review: Manually review identified ESI to determine relevance and privilege issues.
Analysis: Investigate and review, timeline analysis, forensic accounting and forensic interviewing.
Production: Produce relevant ESI in desired format.
Presentation: Report compilation, expert testimony, affidavits.
We can undertake de-duplication procedures to ensure the discoverable data does not include duplicates and therefore is not unduly larger than it has to be.
We follow the provincial rules of civil procedure to guide the discovery of electronic data. We are aware of and in compliance with requirements of Canadian criminal courts related to the disclosure of electronic evidence for criminal proceedings.
For more information on our Computer Forensics and E-discovery services, call Greg Draper, CGA | CFE | DIFA at 403.537.7679 or contact an Investigative and Forensic Services professional near you.