AF3S546 - The Expert Witness and Financial Crime 09 Mar 2020 - 31 Aug 2025 | Version 1

Associated Module Information

Module Code: AF3S546
Module Title: The Expert Witness and Financial Crime
Faculty: Faculty of Business and Creative Industries
Faculty Group: Accounting and Finance
Faculty Sub Group: Accounting and Finance
Module Leader: Karen Counsell
Module Team: Jared Davies
First Intended Intake: SEP 2020 Final Year of Intake: 2024
Date Closed:
Credit Value: 20 Credit Level: 6
Language: English
Percentage of Module Taught in Welsh: 0
Equivalent Module:
HECOS codes: 100105 - accounting
HECOS Code Weighting: 100

Document Version Information

Version 1
Valid From 09 Mar 2020
Valid To 31 Aug 2025

Module Aims

The module aims to foster an understanding of the many legal ramifications of forensic accounting activities including the role of the expert witness.

To understand financial crime with principal emphasis upon the fraud laws within the UK and the role of the expert forensic accountant.

To understand the basics of the divorce process and the role of the expert forensic accountant.

To understand the basics of civil claims and the role of the expert forensic accountant.

To understand and evaluate the full range of formal and informal roles for expert witnesses in civil, family and criminal cases.

To identify the legal and professional requirements for experts when preparing reports and giving oral evidence in criminal and civil proceedings including the civil liability of the expert witness.

Content Summary

Conducting fraud examinations and interviewing procedure

Use of expert witness in criminal and civil procedure including the rules of evidence

Introduction to the Legal System in Wales and England.

Financial crime with principal emphasis upon the fraud laws within the UK.

Proceeds of Crime Act.

Basics of the divorce process in the UK.

Understanding of the structure of the Civil and Criminal Legal System including the court system and the alternative methods of dispute resolution.

Explanation of the role and content of Civil Procedure Rules and the Criminal Procedure Rules in respect of expert evidence.

Use of expert evidence in civil and criminal litigation.

Different types of evidence in civil and criminal matters such as hearsay, written, opinion.

Consider Single Joint Experts.

Implication of civil liability of the expert witness.

How experts are used within court proceedings.

Expert role in alternative dispute resolution.

Receiving instructions and drafting reports.

Professional conduct issues and ethical issues relating to the legal system.

Develop skills, both written and oral, when giving evidence

Bribery Act 2010 implications for the expert witness.

Learning and Teaching Methods

Activity Type Hours
Practical classes and workshops 44
Independent Study 96
Directed Study 56
Formative Assessment - Scheduled 4
Total Hours Selected 200

Learning Outcomes

# Learning Outcome
LO1 Critically evaluate the function of an expert within criminal and civil contexts
LO2 Prepare an expert report and deliver oral evidence within a simulated environment.

Module Requisites

N/A

Assessment Criteria

Assessment Category Assessment Type Description Duration Word Count Weight (%) Best of? Pass Mark
Asynchronous Assessment Report 1 Coursework – simulated, practical based assignment 0 3600 60 No 40
Asynchronous Assessment Critique 1 Critically evaluate the function of an expert within criminal and civil contexts. 0 2400 40 No 40

Assessment Matrix

Assessment Type Learning Outcomes
LO1 LO2
Report 1
Critique 1

Reading List

Forensic accounting and Finance- Principles and practice; Bee-Lean Chew; Kogan Page.

Appropriate and relevant academic journals including Journals on forensic accounting; Journals on audit,?Journals on Corporate Governance; Journal of Management and Governance, and others as directed by the tutor to be accessed via LRC, Google scholar, plus other sources.

Sime, S. (2019) A Practical Approach to Civil Procedure, Oxford University Press

Keane, A. and McKeown, P. (2018) The Modern Law of Evidence, Butterworths

Emson, R. (2010) Evidence, Palgrave