Conducting a sexual harassment investigation in the #MeToo era.

Our Client's Challenge

In the wake of the #MeToo movement, our client – a publicly-traded technology company – asked us to conduct an internal investigation after a senior company lawyer was accused of sexual misconduct and inappropriate behavior. The investigation needed to be speedy and free of any conflict of interest so that the results — whatever they might be — would be accepted without qualification.

Our Approach

We designed a retention structure that allowed direct reporting to an ad hoc committee composed of the CEO and independent directors, while still allowing the use of law department resources for logistical issues such as document recovery and scheduling of witnesses. Our team traveled extensively to interview multiple witnesses in multiple states. Maintaining a strict stance of independence and assessment rather than advocacy and supposition, we elicited useful testimony both from current and former employees, as well as third parties.

The Result

In a highly sensitive environment for a publicly traded company, we honed in on the crucial issues and produced a practical, defensible report free of conflicts and bearing the truth.