August EWJ 24 - Flipbook - Page 50
initial call to discuss whether the subject matter is
within my expertise, the likely costs and the timetable.
12:00 I review queries received in accordance with the
Part 25 Practice Directions from the instructing
solicitors on a Single Joint Expert report and draft my
responses.
Ms Fiona Hotston Moore
13:00 I take my office companions (a Labrador and
two Yorkshire Terriers) for a walk before lunch. Lunch
is now a proper break: no stale, curled-up sandwich at
my computer but something more nutritious at the
kitchen table. Having more time to walk the dogs and
join various exercise classes is a big upside from
working from home in a more flexible way.
Fiona is a founder of FHM Forensic Accounting. Fiona specialises in
14:00 I continue the financial analysis on an
instruction and start to plan the written expert report.
I normally aim to complete all the financial analysis,
research and number crunching before starting to
write the body of the report.
Family Court. She also has considerable experience in commercial disputes, tax disputes and
Forensic Accountant, Accredited Expert Witness,
Chartered Accountant and Tax Adviser
BSc (Hons), CTA, FCA, MAE, ACFS
commercial disputes, business valuations, tax disputes and professional negligence matters
including giving evidence in the High Court, Family Court, Arbitration and Tax Tribunal.
She has been instructed as an Expert in approximately 400 cases in her career to date.
Fiona is also often instructed to provide expert opinion on a range of matters including
shareholder disputes, agency disputes and insurance claims, tax disputes (including EBTs, film
schemes, entrepreneurs’ relief and Generally Accepted Accounting Practice), officer and
employee fraud, auditor and tax adviser professional negligence claims.
Fiona specialises in share and business valuation cases with particular experience in the
professional negligence matters.
Fiona has over 25 years’ experience providing strategic, accounting, tax and corporate finance
advice in a variety of sectors. Fiona’s clients have included successful entrepreneurs, start-ups,
international groups and household names
The practical experience that Fiona has as a corporate finance and practicing tax professional
perfectly complements her experience as an expert in commercial disputes in Court
16:15 I draft an article for my website and look for a
stock image to use. I have spent time reviewing the
stock image libraries to avoid using the clichéd images
favoured by corporates and to try and maintain a
visual look that is consistent with my brand.
proceedings - and vice versa.
Areas of expertise:
Auditor professional negligence
Share valuation
Commercial disputes
Fraud
Employee fraud
17:00 For a valuation, I draft a response to an email
enquiry after doing some online research into the
company that is to be valued. I also set up a call with
one of the external consultants who is working with
me on a project. I have been pleased to receive offers
of support from former colleagues and I now engage
several independent colleagues to provide specialist
support or to provide a second pair of eyes on
complex cases.
Tax professional negligence
Business valuation
Matrimonial
Financial investigations
Contact
Mobile: 07770 642491
Email: fiona@fhmforensic.co.uk - Website: www.fhmforensic.co.uk
Area of Work: Nationwide and International
18:00 I wrap up my day by recording my chargeable
time and writing my “to do” list for tomorrow. I then
use what would have been time behind the wheel on
the daily commute to join a local group for a run.
Reflections – the transition from corporate life to
running my own practice as an independent
At the start it was daunting and, as a cautious accountant, I could see all the downsides of going it alone but
relegated the upsides to wishful thinking. In fact, the
mountainous obstacles that I anticipated have actually
turned out to be gentle hills and I am wondering why
I didn’t do it years ago!
Author
Ms Fiona Hotston Moore
Forensic Accountant, Accredited Expert Witness,
Chartered Accountant and Tax Adviser
Mobile: 07770 642491
Email: fiona@fhmforensic.co.uk
Website: www.fhmforensic.co.uk
EXPERT WITNESS JOURNAL
48
AUGUST 2024
