By the time a commercial disagreement becomes a formal dispute, the relevant facts are often spread across contracts, company records, financial documents, public filings, correspondence and more than one jurisdiction.
Global Screenings provides research and investigation support for organizations and their legal advisers handling corporate disputes, commercial claims, intellectual property matters, property disagreements, financial concerns and other sensitive proceedings. The work is defined around the parties involved, the questions that need to be answered and the information available for review.
Independent Support for Legal and Commercial Teams
Litigation support can help an instructing party locate records, examine the background of the people and companies involved, and organize relevant findings for further review.
The assignment may support:
- Early assessment of a potential claim
- Background research on parties to a dispute
- Review of corporate ownership and business affiliations
- Identification of relevant court and public records
- Investigation of disputed representations or transactions
- Research connected with assets, property or financial interests
- Preparation for ongoing legal proceedings
- Specialist or expert-witness requirements included in the instruction
The findings are intended to support the client and its legal advisers. They do not replace legal advice, court procedures or the professional judgement of the instructing legal team.
Commercial Claims and Corporate Litigation
A commercial claim may arise from a contract, transaction, partnership, supply arrangement, corporate representation or another business relationship. The disagreement may concern what was promised, who controlled the company, how funds were used or whether the information supplied was accurate.
Research for a commercial or corporate dispute may include:
- Corporate registration and status checks
- Directorship and shareholder research
- Business ownership and affiliation checks
- Litigation and judgment searches
- Public record research
- Reputation and media searches
- Background checks on relevant individuals or organizations
- Review of documents included in the agreed instruction
Where a matter involves suspected misconduct, misrepresentation or fraud, it may also require wider Corporate Investigation Services.
Mergers, Acquisitions and Ownership Disputes
Disputes connected with a merger, acquisition or business investment can involve ownership, liabilities, representations made before the transaction, management responsibilities or the value and status of the assets concerned.
The review may consider available information relating to:
- The companies and individuals involved in the transaction
- Directors, shareholders and beneficial interests
- Corporate affiliations
- Licences, permits and business status
- Previous litigation or regulatory matters
- Property and asset interests
- Financial or corporate records included in the scope
- Statements or documents disputed by the parties
A dispute review is not the same as a financial audit, business valuation or legal due diligence opinion. Those matters remain with the appropriately qualified advisers appointed by the client.
Property and Asset-Related Disputes
Property disputes may concern ownership, control, transfer, occupancy, business use or the interests of people and companies connected with the asset.
Where records are available, research may include:
- Property ownership information
- Company or individual interests connected with the property
- Available transfer or registration records
- Litigation and judgment searches
- Directorship and shareholder information
- Other public records relevant to the dispute
Public records do not always establish the complete legal or beneficial ownership position. The findings should be considered alongside title documents, contracts and advice from the client’s legal professionals.
Accounting and Financial Matters
A commercial dispute can involve invoices, payments, financial statements, liabilities, bankruptcy, business interests or other accounting information. The relevant documents may need to be compared with available corporate and public records.
Research may consider:
- Company accounts and available financial records
- Bankruptcy and insolvency information
- Judgments and financial claims
- Directorships and business interests
- Corporate ownership
- Property or other available asset records
- Information connected with disputed payments or transactions
Global Screenings can report information identified through the agreed research. Formal accounting opinions, audits and forensic accounting conclusions should be provided by appropriately qualified professionals.
Intellectual Property Disputes
Intellectual property disputes may involve unauthorized use of a brand, counterfeit products, disputed ownership, questionable distributors or businesses connected with the manufacture and sale of infringing goods.
An investigation may examine:
- The people and companies associated with the activity
- Corporate ownership and business affiliations
- Distribution and commercial relationships
- Relevant litigation and public records
- Online and media information
- Other records included in the authorized scope
More focused support is available through Brand Protection and Investigations.
IT and Computer Forensic Matters
Some disputes involve emails, electronic files, computer systems or other digital information. In these cases, the instruction may require technical examination or computer forensic support.
The exact work should be agreed according to the devices, systems, data and legal requirements involved. Where specialist evidence is required, the client and its legal advisers should also confirm the appropriate technical expert, preservation requirements and intended use of the findings.
Digital information should be handled carefully. The availability, ownership, access rights and admissibility of electronic material may be subject to legal and procedural requirements.
Research, Evidence and Reporting
A useful litigation-support report should separate established information from allegations, possible matches and matters that could not be verified.
Research findings may be classified as:
- Information confirmed through an available source
- A possible match requiring further review
- An allegation or unresolved matter
- Information that could not be verified
- A search that returned no available record
The source, date, identity match, jurisdiction and current status of each material finding should be considered. A similar name or an old allegation should not be presented as a confirmed fact without supporting information.
International Disputes and Cross-Border Research
A dispute may involve companies, directors, assets, documents or legal proceedings in several countries. Record systems, access rules, language and court procedures differ from one jurisdiction to another.
Some information may be available online, while other records require local or manual research. Documents may also require translation, notarisation, authentication or service in another country.
Where formal legal documents must be delivered to another party, support may also be available through our Service of Process.
Defining the Scope of an Instruction
Before work begins, the instructing party should identify:
- The parties to the dispute
- The countries and jurisdictions involved
- The nature of the claim or concern
- The questions the research should address
- The documents and identifying information already available
- Any court, legal or commercial deadline
- The format in which the findings are required
A clear scope keeps the research relevant to the dispute and helps avoid collecting unrelated information.
Important Limitations
Global Screenings provides research, investigation and reporting support within the agreed instruction. The service does not provide legal representation, determine liability, decide the outcome of a dispute or guarantee that every relevant record will be available.
Legal strategy, admissibility, privilege, court filings and the use of evidence remain matters for the client and its appointed legal advisers. Final conclusions and decisions remain with the responsible parties, experts, legal professionals or court.
