Skip to content

Crisis Management and Internal InvestigationsFrom evidence preservation and internal investigations to explanations for business partners and the media, our attorneys set the order of the initial response and handle the matter.

Free consultation Why LegalAgent
Response time
1 business day*
First consultation
30 min free
Scope
Initial response · Investigation · Fact-finding · Communications

* As a rule, for contract reviews and routine legal questions. For complex or urgent matters we propose a schedule that fits the matter.

Client companies served*

150+

Selected clients shown, in no particular order. * Clients and partners. Not limited to Crisis Management and Internal Investigations matters.

KADOKAWA FRONTEO YAMAP ACROVE LAPRAS AVA Intelligence OPTIEUM Biotechnologies ReDelta Concrew LINEA Innovations TECHSUITE YStory

Setting the order of the investigation as soon as misconduct is suspected

Right after a whistleblowing report or an outside allegation raises suspected fraud or misconduct, whether you question the person first or preserve data first can decide whether the investigation holds up. We set the order of evidence preservation and contact with those involved, then consider everything from the internal investigation to external explanations as a whole. We also check for conflicts of interest to decide whether an internal investigation is enough or an investigation by outside attorneys is needed.

  • A report has come in, and opinions are split on whom to ask about what first
  • The investigator has a conflict of interest, and fairness is being questioned
  • Business partners and shareholders want explanations before the facts are settled
  • You are unsure whether the discipline fits the facts found

Why LegalAgent

With LegalAgent, you can set the order of the investigation before evidence is lost

We support your initial response to a crisis in three ways: fast answers, fees you know before we start, and a report you can use as is for findings of fact and explanations.

  1. 01Speed

    Typical law firms3–5 business days

    LegalAgent1 business day, as a rule

    Evidence preservation decided first in the initial response

    We answer contract reviews and routine legal questions within one business day as a rule. Because a delay in deciding on evidence preservation makes the investigation harder, we review urgent contacts first.

  2. 02Fees

    Hourly billingTotal unknown at the start

    LegalAgentScope and fee set before we start

    Investigation scope and setup agreed before we start

    We ask about the number of people involved and the period covered, the range of data to preserve and whether an external investigation is needed, and give you an estimate before we start. If the scope of the investigation expands, we update the estimate and explain it to you.

  3. 03End to end

    • Evidence preservation
    • Interviews
    • Fact-finding
    • External communications

    Findings of fact linked to discipline and recurrence prevention

    We compare interview statements with the evidence to establish the facts that can be found, then consider disciplinary options, measures to prevent recurrence and the scope of external explanations as a whole.

* Response times are for contract reviews and routine legal questions; they vary by matter.

How it works

The AI Agent organizes statements and evidence; attorneys make the findings of fact

The AI Agent builds a timeline and extracts the issues from the emails, chats and interview records you provide; attorneys decide which facts can be found and the disciplinary options.

AI Agentdoes the work

  • Arranges emails, chats and records into a timeline
  • Extracts inconsistencies in statements and the issues
  • Drafts the interview plan and the report

Attorneysmake the judgment

  • Decide the order of evidence preservation and contact with those involved
  • Decide whether an internal investigation is enough or an external one is needed
  • Take responsibility for the final findings of fact and the report
ConsultationReport and communications policy delivered
  1. STEP 01Confirming the report and the initial approach

    Check the credibility of the report, its scope and urgency, and consider the order of evidence preservation and dealing with those involved

    Initial response policy

  2. STEP 02Designing evidence preservation and the investigation framework

    Confirm the scope of data to preserve, and set out what can be handled by an internal investigation and what requires an external investigation

    List of evidence to preserve and draft investigation framework

  3. STEP 03Conducting interviews and organizing the facts

    Set the order of interviews and the questions, and organize the facts by comparing statements with the evidence

    Interview records and organized facts

  4. STEP 04Considering findings of fact, discipline and prevention of recurrence

    Set out the scope of facts that can be found, and consider disciplinary options and the direction of measures to prevent recurrence

    Investigation report and memo on discipline and measures to prevent recurrence

  5. STEP 05Setting the external communications strategy

    Distinguish confirmed facts from unconfirmed facts and set out what to communicate and when for each audience

    External communications policy and anticipated questions and draft answers

  • Attorneys make the final callAn attorney checks every deliverable and takes responsibility for it.
  • Your inputs are not used to train AIOn top of attorneys' statutory duty of confidentiality, we work in an environment where your inputs are not used to train AI.
  • An AI Agent built in-houseOur own engineers develop it. Information Security Policy

Use cases

Common requests and what you receive

For each typical situation that calls for a crisis response, we show what should be checked in the initial response, the consequences of leaving it unaddressed and the deliverables you will have after the response.

  1. 01

    A whistleblowing report alleges misuse of funds by an accounting staff member

    If left aloneConfronting the person before preserving evidence can lead to deletion of data or collusion among those involved, making the investigation itself impossible

    What we doWe check the credibility of the report, the scope of the relevant data and the order in which to contact those involved, and set out a plan for evidence preservation and initial interviews

    What you receive
    • Initial response policy
    • List of evidence to preserve
    • Initial interview plan

  2. 02

    Suspected improper handling of quality data has been reported internally

    If left aloneDelays in identifying the scope prolong the period during which improper handling continues, expanding the obligation to explain to business partners and the scope of corrective action

    What we doAfter identifying the products, periods and departments concerned, we design the internal investigation framework and scope and assess when explanations to business partners will become necessary

    What you receive
    • Draft investigation scope and framework
    • Chronology of the facts
    • Memo on the approach to explaining matters to business partners

  3. 03

    You have received a media request about employee misconduct and been told a story is likely to run

    If left aloneIf individual contact points respond before the facts are confirmed, inconsistent statements arise and the company's credibility is further damaged in later explanations

    What we doWe distinguish facts already established from unconfirmed facts and set out what to tell the media, business partners and employees, each at the appropriate timing and scope

    What you receive
    • External communications policy
    • Anticipated questions and draft answers
    • Internal information-sharing document

  4. 04

    You are considering an external investigation of a harassment complaint to ensure the neutrality of the investigation

    If left aloneIf internal staff investigate, both the alleged harasser and the complainant may doubt their neutrality, and the credibility of the fact-finding and the validity of discipline are disputed later

    What we doWe review the complaint, the relationship between the parties and any conflicts of interest within the company, and as an external investigator we design the interviews, organize the evidence and make findings of fact

    What you receive
    • Interview plan
    • Investigation report
    • Fact summary for considering discipline

Scope of our crisis management and internal investigation support

We organize what we check, what we decide and the deliverables across four stages: the initial response, the internal investigation, fact-finding, discipline and prevention of recurrence, and external communications.

Initial response and evidence preservation
Right after a report or allegation is received, we set out what to check and how much data and material to preserve.
  • Confirming the initial approach
  • Setting the scope of evidence preservation
Designing and conducting internal investigations
After checking the independence of the investigator, the scope of investigation and how interviews will be conducted, we organize the facts.
  • Designing the investigation framework
  • Conducting and recording interviews
Fact-finding, discipline and prevention of recurrence
Based on the facts as organized, we consider disciplinary action and set the direction of measures to prevent recurrence.
  • Organizing findings of fact
  • Considering discipline and measures to prevent recurrence
External communications and explanations to stakeholders
For explanations to business partners, shareholders, employees and the media, we set out what to communicate and when.
  • Setting the external communications strategy

Our approach

What we focus on in Crisis Management and Internal Investigations

In crisis management, misconduct response and internal investigations, we consider the order of the initial response, the independence of the investigator and the scope of disclosure from the following perspectives.

  1. 01

    Managing the order of evidence preservation and dealing with those involved

    Getting wrong whom to question, when and how far can cause evidence to be lost, so we design data preservation and the order of contact with those involved in light of the risk that the subject will flee or collude with others.

  2. 02

    Assessing the independence of the investigator

    Taking into account conflicts of interest with the subject, power dynamics within the company and the operating framework after the investigation, we distinguish matters where an internal investigation is sufficient from those that need an investigation by outside attorneys.

  3. 03

    Balancing the reputation and privacy of those involved with the scope of disclosure

    Sharing names and details widely while the facts are still unconfirmed can lead to defamation and secondary harm, so we decide case by case the scope of confirmed facts, the recipients and whether anonymization is needed.

  4. 04

    Consistent design from fact-finding through discipline and prevention of recurrence

    After establishing the facts that can be found by comparing interview statements with the evidence, we consider the disciplinary options and the review of rules and systems to prevent similar cases as a whole.

Pricing

Crisis management and internal investigation fees

The nature and urgency of crisis management and internal investigation matters vary greatly from case to case, so we consider the scope of work individually after hearing the details.

How fees are set

Scope and fee agreed before we start

Matter-based work is generally on a fixed fee. For complex or urgent matters, we propose a schedule and an estimate that fit the matter.

First consultation

A free 30-minute online meeting.

You can come to us before your documents are in order. Tell us what you know so far.

Free consultation

What we check before quoting

  • Number of people involved who are subject to the investigation, and the period covered
  • Scope of data and materials that need to be preserved (devices, email, system logs, etc.)
  • Whether an internal investigation is sufficient or an independent investigation by outside attorneys is needed
  • Range of parties to whom explanations are needed (business partners, shareholders, the media, etc.)
  • Urgency from the initial response through preparing the investigation report

The urgency of the matter and the scope of the investigation vary greatly from case to case, so we will give you our final quote based on what we hear in the initial consultation.

Team & Record

Attorneys who know business practice handle your matters

Contract reviews and drafts
2,000+
Client companies
150+
Startup legal matters
200+
Legal and investment DD
20+

* Approximate figures based on matters handled by our firm; actual figures vary by matter.

Engineers

Shinya Makita and Sota Miya build our product on the same team as the attorneys.

Practical Guides to Crisis Management and Internal Investigations

Internal investigationsInternal Investigations After a Harassment Complaint: How to Conduct Interviews and Make Findings of Fact

After a harassment complaint, whom should you interview, about what, and what evidence should you preserve? This article considers how to make findings of fact when the parties' accounts conflict, and the prevention measures that remain necessary even when the facts cannot be confirmed.

Related practice areas

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Can we consult you right after receiving a report, when we know almost nothing about the facts?

You can start a consultation as long as you can tell us the gist of the report and the relevant internal rules. Before fact-finding, we often first sort out whether evidence needs to be preserved and the order in which to contact those involved, so we expect consultations at a stage when the detailed facts are not yet settled.

Can we engage you even if we have no department or staff who can conduct an investigation?

Even if you have no one internally to conduct the investigation, or the candidates have conflicts of interest, LegalAgent can act as the investigator and handle everything through conducting interviews and making findings of fact.

Can you respond if misconduct comes to light late at night or on a holiday?

You can contact us whenever the matter comes to light. In some matters, delays in decisions on evidence preservation and dealing with those involved in the initial response make the investigation itself difficult, so we review highly urgent contacts first.

Can we engage you only to set up compliance rules and a reporting system in normal times?

This page covers the initial response, internal investigation and external communications after a suspicion has become concrete. For setting up frameworks in normal times, such as reporting systems, internal rules and training, please see the Compliance Support page.

Can you also handle harassment complaints?

We handle them where you want an external investigation to ensure the neutrality of the investigation. Individual harassment consultations and consideration of discipline before a matter escalates into a crisis are also handled on the Labor and HR page.

Can we engage you to deal with labor unions and Labor Standards Inspection Offices as well?

Where dealings with labor unions or Labor Standards Inspection Offices arise in the course of responding to misconduct, we handle them in coordination with the Labor Union and Labor Standards Office Matters page. For ongoing handling of collective bargaining or labor standards inspections themselves, please consult us primarily through that page.

Can we engage you to deal with the media as well?

After distinguishing confirmed facts from unconfirmed facts, we help set the strategy for how much to communicate to business partners, shareholders, employees and the media. We expect the public relations wording itself to be prepared in coordination with your in-house PR staff.

How is the reputation and privacy of the subject and the victim protected?

We check case by case how widely names and details of those involved may be shared while the facts are unconfirmed, and whether anonymization is needed. In explanations inside and outside the company as well, we make sure that information identifying those involved is not spread beyond the scope of confirmed facts.

Contact

Talk to us about suspected misconduct

Please tell us what you know at this point, such as the gist of the report or allegation, the facts known so far and the relevant internal rules. If decisions on evidence preservation or dealing with those involved are urgent, please let us know that as well.

  • A free 30-minute online first meeting
  • You can consult us before the facts are settled
  • You can engage us even without an internal investigator