Public audit firms operate in an environment with more regulatory and media scrutiny than in the past. And, of course, the accounting and operating issues that auditors are expected to understand and evaluate have grown more numerous and more complex.

Founded in 2003, Glass, Lewis & Co. can help auditors assess the business, legal, corporate governance and financial statement risk at public companies they audit or seek to audit across the globe. Using Glass Lewis' research, an accounting firm can monitor its existing client base for early signs of problems and can quickly assess potential issues at prospective clients.

Our online Monitor tool issues real-time warnings when financial information or other company disclosures signal possible weakening of company performance or when other developments, such as litigation, selling by insiders, related-party transactions or compensation arrangements, could harm shareholders or foretell larger problems to come. Public audit firms are using this service to keep abreast of issues in their audit client base and ensure the audit staff is evaluating the most pressing issues at their clients.

Our Forensic Research identifies risks, including financial statement risks, that have previously gone undetected; often these issues relate to a potential misapplication of GAAP.

Our Trend Reports are written to keep institutions that operate in the capital markets on top of major trends and developments, especially around accounting and audit-related issues. For example, we have written the definitive study on financial restatements, including a detailed assessment of why companies restate, which companies most often restate and which auditors have the fewest problem clients.

And our proxy research provides an overview of corporate governance and the quality of the board's oversight.

The specific services used by our public auditor clients include:

The Monitor is a web-based tool that enables investors to monitor continuously public companies for signs of unusual risk. The Monitor alerts users when financial information or other company disclosures signal possible weakening of company performance or when other developments, such as litigation, selling by insiders, related-party transactions or compensation arrangements, could harm stakeholders or foretell larger problems to come. The Forensic Research Group provides analysis and insight into unrecognized business, legal, governance or financial statement risk at select public companies. Each week, Glass Lewis publishes an in-depth report on a company where notable, material risk has been identified. Glass Lewis has a track record of identifying serious risk for stakeholders in advance of general recognition of the risk. Glass Lewis publishes comprehensive studies on accounting issues and regulatory developments that disproportionately affect certain companies or industries. These Trend Reports allow stakeholders to remain abreast of major developments that can impact public companies and their value. A list of recent Trend Reports is available. Glass Lewis is the leading, independent provider of global corporate governance and proxy research. Proxy Paper features contextual, objective analysis of corporate governance issues and voting recommendations on all proposals contained in thousands of global proxies.