Partner - Forensic Consulting
Financial Advisory
Joe holds a Bachelor of Business, majoring in Accounting from Griffith University. In 1997 Joseph was admitted as an Associate (Chartered Accountant) of Chartered Accountants Australia & New Zealand. In December 2004, Joseph completed a Graduate Certificate in Forensic Studies (Accounting) at Monash University. Joseph is an Accredited Business Valuation Specialist and Forensic Accounting Specialist with Chartered Accountants Australia New Zealand.
Expert Witness experience
For the past 20 years, Joseph has been involved in preparation of expert witness reports and other reports in the following contexts:
- Assessment of commercial losses;
- Quantification of loss arising from Insurable Events, and financial investigations surrounding Insurable events;
- Investigation and review of financial transactions or events and reconstruction of transactions and financial statements;
- Valuation for Shareholder, Unitholder and Partnership disputes, Matrimonial disputes and Estate disputes;
- Investigation of complex corporate structures, financial investigations and insolvency reviews.;
- Valuation of controlling and minority interests in non-contentious situations;
- Valuation of Options, Restricted Stock Units and other Executive Remuneration entitlements.
- Professional Negligence claims in relation to both liability and quantum;
- Personal Injury and Dependency Claims assessment.
Court experience and oral expert testimony
Joseph has acted as an Independent Expert, Jointly Appointed Expert, Court Appointed Expert, and as an Independent Expert Accountant under commercial agreements.
Joseph has provided oral expert testimony in the Federal Court of Australia, Supreme Court of Queensland, Supreme Court of New South Wales, District Court of Queensland, Family Court of Australia, the Federal Circuit Court of Australia and various tribunals. He has also provided concurrent oral evidence.
Joseph is experienced in the production of Joint Statement of Experts.
Noteworthy examples of matters in which Joseph has provided evidence include
Commercial disputes
Joseph has undertaken expert witness and advisory assignments involving the quantification of commercial loss arising under Contract and Warranty and Tort.
Working with clients’ legal advisers, Joseph has also assisted with initial discovery, cost applications and in the drafting of Affidavits. Joseph believes he can also assist in the identification of the relevant heads of loss and undertaking preliminary quantification of those losses to assist with drafting pleadings.
Insured Events and Business Interruption Claims
Matters have been undertaken for claims arising from Insured Events encompassing both the initial investigatory role, where evidence of a financial motive may be sought and, the quantification of the claim in accordance with the relevant insurance policy.
Some business interruption assignments in which Joseph has been retained required the detailed investigation and review of complex structures and financial transactions in order to undertake investigations and quantification. In many instances, records are incomplete or have required material reconstruction or restatement.
Valuation experience
Joseph specialises in the production of expert witness valuation reports of businesses, unidentifiable intangibles and equity in both controlling and non-controlling contexts.
Valuation reports have also been conducted in shareholder, partnership and joint venture disputes, estate disputes and share sale agreement disputes.
As an experienced accounting expert witness, Joseph regularly undertakes valuations of businesses, superannuation and complex corporate structures, financial investigations, and taxation advice for matrimonial and de facto matters in the Family Court of Australia and the Federal Circuit Court.
Matters not involving a dispute where a valuation have been prepared include assisting clients with the purchase/sale of a business or equity interest, compliance with Revenue Authorities statutory requirements, reporting requirements under the Accounting Standards and for financing purposes.
In a number of these matters a detailed investigation and review of the corporate structure was required in order to determine an equity holder’s rights, powers and obligations.
Numerous valuation assignments have also been conducted for State and Federal government agencies and departments, including for compensatory purposes.
Financial Investigations
Given Joseph’s professional background, he undertakes assignments requiring investigations into complex financial transactions or events as well investigations relating to solvency.
Matters have required the detailed investigation and review of complex financial transactions, often over a period of years. Such assignments have been undertaken for both private and public sector clients.
A number of cases have required Joseph to undertake a reconstruction or material restatement of transactions or complete financial statements. Joseph is experienced in dealing with incomplete records and reconstructing transactions from non-financial records.
Professional Negligence
Joseph has experience in providing both liability and quantum opinions in professional negligence claims, for the Plaintiff or Defendant, often the Insurer.
Joseph’s professional background is in the provision of audit, business advisory and taxation services provides him with the necessary knowledge and skills to provide an opinion in relation to certain liability issues. In a number of cases, Joseph has worked concurrently with other specialists within Grant Thornton, including Partners in domestic tax, international tax, and wealth advisory, to provide concurrent liability and quantum reports.
He has provided expert services to a number of major professional insurers and has recent specific experience in professional negligence claims involving accountants, solicitors, property valuers, financial planners and advisers, medical professionals, town planners, and engineers.
