Phase 7 — The Strike Team · 10 min read
Hiring the Experts
Three specialists, three distinct jobs, and the sequence that keeps the bills sane.
01The Litigator
You are hiring a strategist who will try the case if it must be tried, not merely a negotiator. Ask how many contested financial trials they have completed, how they use subpoenas, and who on the team will actually read your binders. A litigator who is uncomfortable with a balance sheet is the wrong litigator for this case.
02The Forensic Accountant
Retained through your attorney so the work is protected by privilege, the forensic accountant traces funds, reconstructs income, values the business, and testifies. Bring them the reconciliations, not the raw shoebox — every hour they spend organizing is an hour not spent finding.
03The Private Investigator
A licensed investigator documents what public records and bank statements cannot: cohabitation, lifestyle inconsistent with declared income, business activity through an undisclosed entity, or an asset physically parked somewhere. Insist on licensure and lawful methods; illegally obtained evidence contaminates the case that relies on it.
Sequence matters: attorney first, forensic accountant second, investigator only against a specific question worth answering.
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