Internal Corporate Investigations

Faced with allegations of serious wrongdoing by directors, officers, employees or other agents of the corporation, the board of directors often chooses to conduct an internal corporate investigation in order to learn the facts surrounding the alleged wrongdoing, to correct problems that may exist, and to satisfy stakeholders and outside parties such as regulators. Over the past three decades, internal corporate investigations have become a robust practice area for lawyers. The purpose of this class is to introduce students to internal corporate investigations through a simulation.

This simulation course is built around a fact scenario involving a whistleblower alleging that his employer violated the False Claims Act in connection with his employer’s contract with the Department of Defense to purchases helicopters.

The class will be divided into teams of four students each. Students, working in teams, will do several exercises during the semester. Some exercises will be individual and several will be group exercises.

In addition, each student will individually prepare a memorandum in response to one of three fact scenarios.