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Veriton can help to lighten your caseload
Presently, many law firms are outsourcing work. This is especially true in cases where multiple jurisdictions are involved. A significant percentage of Veriton’s work comes from providing investigation services for lawyers. Many of our legal clients are international and work in litigation.
DOCUMENTATION: Veriton is an experienced provider of investigation services for lawyers. Our team can help ease your workload by quickly finding and documenting the relevant information you need.
LINK CHARTING: We are also specialists in link charting. Our goal is to reduce complex matters into easily understandable charts. Frequently, client lawyers use these charts to assist in briefing their own clients because they are a valuable time-saver.
WITNESS STATEMENTS: Our investigators can also take witness statements, in English or Chinese. We write the statements following the format you provide. If you are unable to find a witness, we can assist in the location.
CASEWORK HELP: From previous experience, we know that we can help you, and your clients, to build on casework that you have already started.
HONG KONG BASE: Based in Hong Kong, our initial focus was investigations in SE Asia including Shenzhen and other Chinese manufacturing hubs.
WORLDWIDE RESEARCH: Now, much of our legal support work involves multi-jurisdictional projects. As a result, we regularly conduct worldwide research and investigations.
MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL CASES: International cases vary in size and complexity. Those involving multiple jurisdictions may span a period of months. However, most originate from specific requests that we complete within a short time frame.
Essentially, you must choose to outsource to a reputable investigator. Obviously, you need to choose an experienced company that is reliable and discreet.
LEGAL: All work undertaken is professional and legal.
PROFESSIONAL DOCUMENTATION: With our police background, we understand the requirements for the chain of custody/evidence to be professionally documented and presented for court purposes.
MEMBERSHIPS: Veriton has various industry memberships, for which the company and/ or Managing Director has been vetted.
Contact us NOW. We will get back to you as soon as possible to discuss your investigative needs.
QUICK SERVICE A-Z: Typical work we get from lawyers is discussed throughout the site. To save time, we have compiled a quick guide to relevant research and investigation services. This lists everything from Asset Searches to Investigative Due Diligence.
DO YOU HAVE AN ENQUIRY? Contact us with a QUICK ENQUIRY
ASSET SEARCH
We have undertaken multiple asset searches on behalf of lawyers. Often, these are to locate assets that eventually could be seized or recovered after due legal process.
Sometimes, the initial remit is to discover if there are sufficient assets to make litigation worthwhile.
Read more for an Asset Search case study.
CREDIT REPORT
Lawyers often ask us to include a Credit Report as part of asset research investigations.
These can flag references to bankruptcies or court cases in which the target of the investigation has been the defendant.
BANK ACCOUNTS
As you will appreciate, until we gain the appropriate legal authority, we cannot access company or individual bank accounts in Hong Kong.
However, sometimes during the asset search, we find bank account details such as account numbers, statements or cheque book stubs. In such circumstances, we notify our client immediately.
INDIVIDUALS AND COMPANIES
Generally, we work on the basis of there being two broad types of background check: individuals and companies.
Lawyers have often asked us to conduct background checks on companies and individuals of interest to clients. These have included companies that are being sued in connection with work-related issues, such as work-place injuries, or even a fraud case. We are often asked to include a credit check on the subjects of the background check.
HIGH-PROFILE CLIENTS – KYC
From a lawyer’s perspective, it would be good to know if a client is a high profile individual and, therefore, likely to attract a substantial media following. Particularly for large cases with media scrutiny—Knowing Your Client (KYC)—is as important to the legal profession as to other sectors.
For full details, visit our Background Check Services post.
INVESTIGATIVE DUE DILIGENCE
Veriton has specialized in Investigative Due Diligence from its inception with a focus on the reputation of the given entity(s).
We can work direct with private investors and multi-national corporates or through their international lawyers.
PRE-IPO DUE DILIGENCE
We conduct Pre-IPO Due Diligence research work on behalf of law firms wanting to ensure that the checks are thorough and independent.
TERMS
Please contact VERITON for your Investigative Due Diligence requirements. We can work on either a fixed contract or a retainer basis depending on length of project.
Intelligence gathering and investigations are part of our DNA.
EX-POLICE CID OFFICERS
The majority of our investigators are professionally trained Detectives (former CID officers). As such, they are used to working with legal professionals.
COURT PROSECUTION EXPERIENCE
Chris Wilson, Veriton’s co-founder, was himself a court prosecutor for 18 months. He also ran the Hong Kong Police Force’s Criminal Intelligence Analysis Training Course for a number of years.
DISCRETION GUARANTEED
As a company, we are used to working in tandem with lawyers.
Our researchers, investigators and surveillance teams, operate with the utmost discretion and entirely within the law.
COMPLEX CASES ARE CHARTED
We provide a link analysis chart to all Veriton clients for complex matter. These are tools used as part of our investigative process. However, lawyers find them useful in relaying results to their clients.
See below for more information.
CASE TOO COMPLEX?
Is your law firm investigating a large and complex case? Too many entities to understand the links? Multi-jurisdictional companies with off-shoots?
SIMPLIFICATION THROUGH LINK CHARTING
The answer may lie in link analysis charting. Link analysis is an examination of the links between entities. These links are then graphically charted using lines, symbols and colours standardized for every project. Textual annotations included. The final chart makes every project easier to understand.
BRIEFING
Our charts have been used in multiple briefings with our lawyer clients.
With the charts, we can quickly and easily:
In turn, you can use a simplified version of the chart for your clients.
NEW LINK CHART TRAINING
As part of ongoing projects and associations, we have provided link analysis chart training to a couple of Hong Kong-based companies.
These courses—albeit ad-hoc—were so successful that we have decided to run a six week course in link analysis charting.
REGISTER INTEREST FOR TRAINING
If you believe that link analysis training is a skill that would benefit your staff, please register your interest.
EXPERIENCE
We have handled many cases that involve locating individuals.
Our most common request is from lawyers to locate individuals for the purpose of serving legal papers.
INFORMATION GATHERING
Before we begin attempting to locate an individual, we will ask you to complete a detailed form. This has been developed over years and contains a comprehensive list of questions to aid location.
LEGITIMATE REASON TO LOCATE
Aside from the client-provided information assisting us in the location, we must be satisfied that there is no legal reason why you/ your client should not be in contact with the person.
For instance, is there a Court Order requiring that your client have no contact with the person to be located?
TYPES OF MISSING PERSONS
Our skills in locating people have been used to find:
UNDERSTANDING CHINESE RECORDS
If your law firm is not checking Chinese language records—for companies or individuals—on a daily basis, then the chances are you are losing time and money.
FAMILIARITY WITH CHINESE SAIC TERMINOLOGY
Interpreting the minutiae of Chinese State Administration of Industry and Commerce (SAIC) records is not easy even with native speaking researchers. If your staff is not up to date in understanding filing irregularities, then you may find it impossible.
Over the years we have built a concise glossary of the terms and anomalies applied in SAIC records.
LINGUISTIC PROFICIENCY
Furthermore, if researchers do not understand the nuances of the language or the ways in which names can be translated into English then results may be both weak and inaccurate.
DON’T WASTE TIME
With our skills, we can quickly help your firm to understand, document and chart relationships between Chinese companies and their stakeholders.
Should your law firm require Chinese research assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us.
FINDING A MISSING BENEFICIARY
We have assisted both local and international lawyers and attorneys, as well as British, Australian and Canadian agencies, to locate missing heirs and verify relationships for the purposes of probate research.
ASSET SEARCH
We can also assist in probate-related asset searches.
SOLVING HISTORICAL PROBATE PROBLEMS
Part of dispersing an estate, claimed or unclaimed, involves identifying and locating missing and unknown heirs–and ensuring that we have found the right person.
We know and understand how difficult some of these searches can be, especially when the deceased passed away decades previously.
If you are interested, please see a Case Study about four siblings all of whom we located 40 years after the death of an uncle.
SERVES IN HONG KONG, MACAU & CHINA
Process Serving is an integral part of Veriton’s business. Much of the process serve work is conducted for either local or international lawyers. As such, there is a dedicated website.
As Hong Kong’s top process serving company, key features of our service are:
SURVEILLANCE
In exceptional circumstances, we have deployed a surveillance team.
One notable example was a serve on a high-profile banker. Three other international process serve companies had failed to serve the individual in Singapore, Canada and Hong Kong.
Our remit was to serve in a high-end commercial premises in the heart of Hong Kong’s Central Business District (CBD). To increase chances of success, a surveillance team was essential. The banker was served inside a lift on the way up to his office.
The serve was videoed by the surveillance team.
SERVICE COST
Most serves can be executed successfully within a short TAT for a reasonable cost. The more information you can provide at time of enquiry, the better rate we can offer.
If you need a quote now, please complete our Process Serve Quotation Form.
COMMON PROCESS SERVE FAQs
The most common questions we get from lawyers relate to the Hague Convention and the time taken to execute a Hague Convention service in Japan and China as discussed on our dedicated process serve website. This can be several months to a year or more.
CALIFORNIA COURT OF APPEAL STATED CASE SUPPORTING NON USE OF HAGUE CONVENTION
Whyenlee Industries Ltd. v. Superior Court (2019) 33 Cal.App.5th 364, 375 (WHYENLEE)
The WHYENLEE cited case is of interest in respect of serves in Hong Kong, China and Macau. In short, agents may conduct personal serves in these jurisdictions without going through the Central Authority.
“These documents are served upon you pursuant to Whyenlee Industries Ltd. v. Superior Court (2019) 33 Cal.App.5th 364, 375 which permits service of this complaint upon you by personal service.
In Whyenlee, the court of appeal held: “Accordingly, we hold that plaintiffs were permitted to use an agent to serve Whyenlee personally in Hong Kong without first making a request to Hong Kong’s Central Authority.” Whyenlee Industries Ltd. v. Sup. Ct. (2019) 33 Cal.App.5th 364, 375, reh’g denied (Apr. 19, 2019), review denied (June 19, 2019).”
COMPREHENSIVE, BESPOKE REPORTS
Many lawyers have commended us on the quality of our reports. We have developed an easy-to-read template that is customized for client and project. They never contain empty tables and sections that certain companies use to “pad out” findings.
Each report has a comprehensive but concise Executive Summary that highlights all major findings and red flags.
All reports contain active links should clients wish to view source. Where research references originate from paid proprietary databases, we include screenshots.
As required, we prepare appendices and embed link analysis charts. If the project involves a significant number of entities, we also provide a spreadsheet. Recommendations are given at the end of report findings.
Should your company have a set format, we ask you to provide this before research begins.
STATEMENTS AND INTERVIEWS IN HONG KONG, MACAU AND CHINA
On behalf of your law firm, we can assist in taking statements or conducting interviews in Hong Kong, Macau and China depending on location.
We can also assist in finding the people you want interviewed.
EX-POLICE CID OFFICERS
Our investigators—former Hong Kong Police officers—are well-versed in statement taking as well as interviews.
Statements and interviews are conducted in either English or Chinese (including Mandarin and Cantonese), as appropriate.
Our reports are based on the translations of investigators and researchers. They are not certified translations.
99% of our reports satisfy client requirements. We no longer arrange certified translations. We have found it is more cost-effective for our clients to work direct with their translator.
SURVEILLANCE: NECESSITY ONLY
Surveillance anywhere is expensive, especially if it’s in a modern central business district.
Working in conjunction with lawyers (including in-house counsel), we have deployed surveillance for marital infidelity cases, workplace injuries, banking frauds, process serves and long-term static surveillance.
However, we suggest surveillance:
RESEARCH FIRST, SURVEILLANCE MAYBE!
Successful surveillance is a result of thorough preparation conducted by researchers and operatives.
On numerous occasions, clients have come to us seeking surveillance but we have found satisfactory solutions through research and investigations. This is a win-win situation for Veriton and the client.
As much as we hate to turn away business, we no longer accept surveillance contracts unless we have conducted the necessary background research to the surveillance project.
Without thorough reconnaissance built in to a case, we do not believe we can provide our clients with “best service”.
EXPECTATIONS
From the outset, we take time to set client expectations. Surprisingly often, surveillance may disprove what a client believes to be happening. Even worse, surveillance results may weaken, and not strengthen, a client’s case.
QUALITY OPERATIVES
Our surveillance team (mostly ex-HK Police or Independent Commission Against Corruption “ICAC” surveillance operatives) conducts operations at an efficient and professional level. Each team, with necessary hardware and vehicles, works up to 12 hours per shift.
The surveillance teams are also familiar with legal limitations regarding personal data, the release and use of such data, and the requirements to safeguard it, as prescribed by the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance and other related laws.
FEES
We charge a minimum of four hours each time the team is deployed. This may cover some of the preparatory work.
The full fee is required up front.
SURVEILLANCE PROS AND CONS
To illustrate the pros and cons of surveillance we prepared a Case Study illustrating two very different outcomes.
ASSET SEARCH
We regularly undertake asset searches on behalf of lawyers. Often, these are to locate assets that eventually could be seized or recovered after due legal process.
Sometimes, the initial remit is to discover if there are sufficient assets to make litigation worthwhile.
Read more for an Asset Search case study.
CREDIT REPORT
Lawyers often ask us to include a Credit Report as part of asset research investigations.
These can flag references to bankruptcies or court cases in which the target of the investigation has been the defendant.
BANK ACCOUNTS
As you will appreciate, until we gain the appropriate legal authority, we cannot access company or individual bank accounts in Hong Kong.
However, sometimes during the asset search, we find bank account details such as account numbers, statements or cheque book stubs. In such circumstances, we notify our client immediately.
INDIVIDUALS AND COMPANIES
Generally, we work on the basis of there being two broad types of background check: individuals and companies.
Lawyers have often asked us to conduct background checks on companies and individuals of interest to clients. These have included companies that are being sued in connection with work-related issues, such as work-place injuries, or even a fraud case. We are often asked to include a credit check on the subjects of the background check.
HIGH-PROFILE CLIENTS – KYC
From a lawyer’s perspective, it would be good to know if a client is a high profile individual and, therefore, likely to attract a substantial media following. Particularly for large cases with media scrutiny—Knowing Your Client (KYC)—is as important to the legal profession as to other sectors.
For full details, visit our Background Check Services post.
INVESTIGATIVE DUE DILIGENCE
Veriton has specialized in Investigative Due Diligence from its inception with a focus on the reputation of the given entity(s).
We can work direct with private investors and multi-national corporates or through their international lawyers.
PRE-IPO DUE DILIGENCE
We conduct Pre-IPO Due Diligence research work on behalf of law firms wanting to ensure that the checks are thorough and independent.
TERMS
Please contact VERITON for your Investigative Due Diligence requirements. We can work on either a fixed contract or a retainer basis depending on length of project.
Intelligence gathering and investigations are part of our DNA.
EX-POLICE CID OFFICERS
The majority of our investigators are professionally trained Detectives (former CID officers). As such, they are used to working with legal professionals.
COURT PROSECUTION EXPERIENCE
Chris Wilson, Veriton’s co-founder, was himself a court prosecutor for 18 months. He also ran the Hong Kong Police Force’s Criminal Intelligence Analysis Training Course for a number of years.
DISCRETION GUARANTEED
As a company, we are used to working in tandem with lawyers.
Our researchers, investigators and surveillance teams, operate with the utmost discretion and entirely within the law.
COMPLEX CASES ARE CHARTED
We provide a link analysis chart to all Veriton clients for complex matter. These are tools used as part of our investigative process. However, lawyers find them useful in relaying results to their clients.
See below for more information.
CASE TOO COMPLEX?
Is your law firm investigating a large and complex case? Too many entities to understand the links? Multi-jurisdictional companies with off-shoots?
SIMPLIFICATION THROUGH LINK CHARTING
The answer may lie in link analysis charting. Link analysis is an examination of the links between entities. These links are then graphically charted using lines, symbols and colours standardized for every project. Textual annotations included. The final chart makes every project easier to understand.
BRIEFING
Our charts have been used in multiple briefings with our lawyer clients.
With the charts, we can quickly and easily:
In turn, you can use a simplified version of the chart for your clients.
NEW LINK CHART TRAINING
As part of ongoing projects and associations, we have provided link analysis chart training to a couple of Hong Kong-based companies.
These courses—albeit ad-hoc—were so successful that we have decided to run a six week course in link analysis charting.
REGISTER INTEREST FOR TRAINING
If you believe that link analysis training is a skill that would benefit your staff, please register your interest.
EXPERIENCE
We have handled many cases that involve locating individuals.
Our most common request is from lawyers to locate individuals for the purpose of serving legal papers.
INFORMATION GATHERING
Before we begin attempting to locate an individual, we will ask you to complete a detailed form. This has been developed over years and contains a comprehensive list of questions to aid location.
LEGITIMATE REASON TO LOCATE
Aside from the client-provided information assisting us in the location, we must be satisfied that there is no legal reason why you/ your client should not be in contact with the person.
For instance, is there a Court Order requiring that your client have no contact with the person to be located?
TYPES OF MISSING PERSONS
Our skills in locating people have been used to find:
UNDERSTANDING CHINESE RECORDS
If your law firm is not checking Chinese language records—for companies or individuals—on a daily basis, then the chances are you are losing time and money.
FAMILIARITY WITH CHINESE SAIC TERMINOLOGY
Interpreting the minutiae of Chinese State Administration of Industry and Commerce (SAIC) records is not easy even with native speaking researchers. If your staff is not up to date in understanding filing irregularities, then you may find it impossible.
Over the years we have built a concise glossary of the terms and anomalies applied in SAIC records.
LINGUISTIC PROFICIENCY
Furthermore, if researchers do not understand the nuances of the language or the ways in which names can be translated into English then results may be both weak and inaccurate.
DON’T WASTE TIME
With our skills, we can quickly help your firm to understand, document and chart relationships between Chinese companies and their stakeholders.
Should your law firm require Chinese research assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us.
FINDING A MISSING BENEFICIARY
We have assisted both local and international lawyers and attorneys, as well as British, Australian and Canadian agencies, to locate missing heirs and verify relationships for the purposes of probate research.
ASSET SEARCH
We can also assist in probate-related asset searches.
SOLVING HISTORICAL PROBATE PROBLEMS
Part of dispersing an estate, claimed or unclaimed, involves identifying and locating missing and unknown heirs–and ensuring that we have found the right person.
We know and understand how difficult some of these searches can be, especially when the deceased passed away decades previously.
If you are interested, please see a Case Study about four siblings all of whom we located 40 years after the death of an uncle.
SERVES IN HONG KONG, MACAU & CHINA
Process Serving is an integral part of Veriton’s business. Much of the process serve work is conducted for either local or international lawyers. As such, there is a dedicated website.
As Hong Kong’s top process serving company, key features of our service are:
SURVEILLANCE
In exceptional circumstances, we have deployed a surveillance team.
One notable example was a serve on a high-profile banker. Three other international process serve companies had failed to serve the individual in Singapore, Canada and Hong Kong.
Our remit was to serve in a high-end commercial premises in the heart of Hong Kong’s Central Business District (CBD). To increase chances of success, a surveillance team was essential. The banker was served inside a lift on the way up to his office.
The serve was videoed by the surveillance team.
SERVICE COST
Most serves can be executed successfully within a short TAT for a reasonable cost. The more information you can provide at time of enquiry, the better rate we can offer.
If you need a quote now, please complete our Process Serve Quotation Form.
COMMON PROCESS SERVE FAQs
The most common questions we get from lawyers relate to the Hague Convention and the time taken to execute a Hague Convention service in Japan and China as discussed on our dedicated process serve website. This can be several months to a year or more.
CALIFORNIA COURT OF APPEAL STATED CASE SUPPORTING NON USE OF HAGUE CONVENTION
Whyenlee Industries Ltd. v. Superior Court (2019) 33 Cal.App.5th 364, 375 (WHYENLEE)
The WHYENLEE cited case is of interest in respect of serves in Hong Kong, China and Macau. In short, agents may conduct personal serves in these jurisdictions without going through the Central Authority.
“These documents are served upon you pursuant to Whyenlee Industries Ltd. v. Superior Court (2019) 33 Cal.App.5th 364, 375 which permits service of this complaint upon you by personal service.
In Whyenlee, the court of appeal held: “Accordingly, we hold that plaintiffs were permitted to use an agent to serve Whyenlee personally in Hong Kong without first making a request to Hong Kong’s Central Authority.” Whyenlee Industries Ltd. v. Sup. Ct. (2019) 33 Cal.App.5th 364, 375, reh’g denied (Apr. 19, 2019), review denied (June 19, 2019).”
COMPREHENSIVE, BESPOKE REPORTS
Many lawyers have commended us on the quality of our reports. We have developed an easy-to-read template that is customized for client and project. They never contain empty tables and sections that certain companies use to “pad out” findings.
Each report has a comprehensive but concise Executive Summary that highlights all major findings and red flags.
All reports contain active links should clients wish to view source. Where research references originate from paid proprietary databases, we include screenshots.
As required, we prepare appendices and embed link analysis charts. If the project involves a significant number of entities, we also provide a spreadsheet. Recommendations are given at the end of report findings.
Should your company have a set format, we ask you to provide this before research begins.
STATEMENTS AND INTERVIEWS IN HONG KONG, MACAU AND CHINA
On behalf of your law firm, we can assist in taking statements or conducting interviews in Hong Kong, Macau and China depending on location.
We can also assist in finding the people you want interviewed.
EX-POLICE CID OFFICERS
Our investigators—former Hong Kong Police officers—are well-versed in statement taking as well as interviews.
Statements and interviews are conducted in either English or Chinese (including Mandarin and Cantonese), as appropriate.
Our reports are based on the translations of investigators and researchers. They are not certified translations.
99% of our reports satisfy client requirements. We no longer arrange certified translations. We have found it is more cost-effective for our clients to work direct with their translator.
SURVEILLANCE: NECESSITY ONLY
Surveillance anywhere is expensive, especially if it’s in a modern central business district.
Working in conjunction with lawyers (including in-house counsel), we have deployed surveillance for marital infidelity cases, workplace injuries, banking frauds, process serves and long-term static surveillance.
However, we suggest surveillance:
RESEARCH FIRST, SURVEILLANCE MAYBE!
Successful surveillance is a result of thorough preparation conducted by researchers and operatives.
On numerous occasions, clients have come to us seeking surveillance but we have found satisfactory solutions through research and investigations. This is a win-win situation for Veriton and the client.
As much as we hate to turn away business, we no longer accept surveillance contracts unless we have conducted the necessary background research to the surveillance project.
Without thorough reconnaissance built in to a case, we do not believe we can provide our clients with “best service”.
EXPECTATIONS
From the outset, we take time to set client expectations. Surprisingly often, surveillance may disprove what a client believes to be happening. Even worse, surveillance results may weaken, and not strengthen, a client’s case.
QUALITY OPERATIVES
Our surveillance team (mostly ex-HK Police or Independent Commission Against Corruption “ICAC” surveillance operatives) conducts operations at an efficient and professional level. Each team, with necessary hardware and vehicles, works up to 12 hours per shift.
The surveillance teams are also familiar with legal limitations regarding personal data, the release and use of such data, and the requirements to safeguard it, as prescribed by the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance and other related laws.
FEES
We charge a minimum of four hours each time the team is deployed. This may cover some of the preparatory work.
The full fee is required up front.
SURVEILLANCE PROS AND CONS
To illustrate the pros and cons of surveillance we prepared a Case Study illustrating two very different outcomes.
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Established in 2014 as part of the Veriton Asia Group, Veriton Investigations provides international clients with professional investigative and research services in Hong Kong, Macau, China and other parts of SE Asia.
Confidentiality and discretion are guaranteed.
Established in 2014 as part of the Veriton Asia Group, Veriton Investigations provides international clients with professional investigative and research services in Hong Kong, Macau, China and other parts of SE Asia.
Confidentiality and discretion are guaranteed.
Avoid losing time and money with your next research or investigations project!
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