B. Riley Financial expanded its forensic accounting and litigation support practice with the addition of Wayne Wilson, Mike De Laval, Paul Brooks and Meredith Alfred to B. Riley Advisory Services. Based in Houston, these professionals specialize in expert witness testimony related to disputes including international arbitration as well as forensic and valuation consulting services. Specifically, their skill sets include expertise in the energy industry and commodities trading in the metals, agriculture and financial markets.
“B. Riley has established itself as a major player in the forensic accounting and litigation support area. We are working with some of largest law firms in the country on a regular basis and continue to be selected in high profile matters. Bringing on this amazing team in Houston is an example of our ongoing commitment to the practice area,” Ian Ratner, co-CEO of B. Riley Advisory Services, said. “Collectively, the addition of Wayne, Mike, Paul and Meredith brings over 80 years of energy litigation support and international arbitration expertise to our group. We continue to seek out experienced and unique talent to add to the team in a quest to provide the absolute best service to our clients across the country.”
Wilson joined B. Riley as a managing director. Wilson is an expert in the energy industry with more than 25 years of experience analyzing issues related to accounting, finance, organizational management, statistics and risk management. Wilson specializes in international energy arbitration matters and has provided testimony in state, federal and international courts.
De Laval also joined B. Riley as a managing director. He has been involved in commodities trading for more than 35 years and has industry experience and expertise in domestic and international commodity markets as an expert in physical trading, derivatives trading, risk management and regulatory compliance. De Laval has managed and overseen commodity portfolios inclusive of physical, futures, swaps, options and exotics for trading organizations. He has also served as an executive in the physical asset space, including storage facilities and pipelines. He has testified in state and federal courts, global arbitral venues and government regulatory venues. He has been certified as an expert in natural gas markets, hedge funds and funds of funds and metals markets in federal court.
Brooks joined B. Riley as a director and has provided consulting services and expert witness testimony support to clients in matters of finance, accounting and risk management for 20 years. These services have included strategic advice related to business decisions, forensic investigations, valuations, modeling of financial data and the calculation of economic damages and lost profits. Specific matters have included cost-recovery analysis; analysis of trading positions and structured financing transactions; anti-money laundering investigations; joint venture cost allocation; accounting and financial analyses of financially distressed entities; and reviews of internal control policies and procedures, including SEC compliance issues at financial institutions.
Alfred also joined B. Riley as a director and has provided financial consulting services for more than 13 years, primarily to the energy industry. She has expertise in financial modeling of international energy operations. Alfred has assisted her clients in analyzing financial data and developing analyses and materials related to deposition and hearing testimony as well as expert reports.