Forvis Mazars launches Disputes & Investigations practice in Australia
Global accounting and consulting firm Forvis Mazars has launched a new dedicated disputes & investigations division in Australia in response to growing demand in the local market.
Until now, Forvis Mazars – which was formed through a merger in 2024 – has drawn on the expertise of its international network to provide dispute services to local clients, but ever-growing risk and volatility requires prompt action.
“In today’s fast-paced business environment, the ability to anticipate risks, respond to emerging challenges, and support recovery and resolution efficiently has become even more vital for our clients,” said managing partner Matthew Ashley.
“With the launch of our locally based disputes & investigations division, we are now able to provide businesses with efficient, clear, actionable guidance at every stage, whether that’s in preventing issues, addressing them as they arise, or guiding organisations through resolution, ensuring robust and reliable outcomes tailored precisely to their needs.”
Helping to grow the new practice will be associate director Laura Powell, who has relocated to Sydney after spending the past eight years with the firm in London. Powell will continue to work on cross-border dispute resolution and investigation cases with her UK colleagues, as well as in close collaboration with Forvis Mazars’ Australian audit, tax, advisory and consulting teams.
Melbourne-based partner and company veteran Christopher Cicutto described this collaborative approach as one of the practice’s key strengths: “Our integrated model allows us to deliver solutions that are both comprehensive and precisely aligned to the unique challenges businesses face, ensuring our clients benefit from proactive as well as reactive support.”
Services portfolio
Backed by leading-edge forensic technology, the practice will offer a full range of services to organisations, law firms, in-house counsel, insurers, individuals and other external advisers covering complex investigations, litigation, arbitration, and compliance, including expert witness testimony and support in managing relationships with regulators among other areas.
Powell’s professional experience for example, as per her UK profile page, includes loss of profits, post-acquisition disputes, breach of warranty claims, professional negligence cases, and forensic accounting investigations across a wide range of sectors such financial services, telecom and pharmaceuticals, with previous involvement in high-profile Australian class actions.
Forvis Mazars said the launch of the practice downunder was in response to growing demand in the local market, with regulatory and other stakeholder scrutiny and the impact of reputational damage for organisations and individuals now greater than ever. The firm also said its approach is designed to minimise operational disruption and financial impact while maintaining discretion.
