San Diego Business Journal

Attorneys Help Firms Avoid Corporate Fraud; Landscape After Enron Offers Plenty of Opportunity

May 29, 2006

By Pat Broderick

...In 2002, Charles La Bella and former San Diego federal prosecutor Thomas W. McNamara, started their private practice, which now includes eight lawyers. One of the team's specialties is helping local businesses hone their skills for internal investigations—a popular practice in this post-Enron world.

"We do a lot of internal investigations," said La Bella. "We have a unique ability, as (former) prosecutors, knowing how to conduct an investigation, one which the government could rely upon in making a decision in what happened. We have been around the block, investigating corporate scandals, and helping to sort the wheat from the chaff – whether they are serious or marginal."

For the companies, call it enlightened self-interest.

"Internal investigations are more common now," said McNamara. "Self-preservation is more common now."...