Asset Tracing

Begin with an identifiable subject

Useful starting information can include known companies, addresses, transactions, litigation records or previous commercial relationships. We review what is already available and identify the jurisdictions and asset categories worth examining.

An initial phase may assess whether a wider search is likely to be productive. Each stage should have a defined purpose, so investigative effort follows the evidence rather than a general search for anything of value.

Map ownership and control

Enquiries may cover corporate interests, property information, public filings and connections between people, companies and relevant transactions. Corporate mapping helps explain structures that might otherwise obscure an asset or the party controlling it.

Registered ownership is not always the same as beneficial ownership or effective control. Reports distinguish documented interests from relationships that need corroboration. Access to information varies by jurisdiction and asset type.

Support the next decision

Findings can help advisers consider where to focus further enquiries and which apparent assets may warrant an enforcement assessment. Insolvency-related work can examine indications of transfers, dissipation or misappropriated funds within an agreed brief.

Tracing is distinct from recovery. We do not promise to locate every asset, access private accounts without authority, freeze property or recover funds. Legal remedies and enforceability must be assessed by the relevant advisers.

What the engagement can deliver

The proposal confirms the outputs for your assignment. Depending on scope, these can include:

• An initial subject and jurisdiction assessment
• A record of identified assets and supporting sources
• Ownership and relationship diagrams where useful
• Unresolved leads and a briefing for the client or its advisers

Questions about asset tracing