How to Write Case Studies for Business Valuation and Forensic Accounting Firms
Business valuers and forensic accountants have a marketing problem most professional services don't: your best work is often the most confidential. A shareholder dispute valuation, a matrimonial property settlement, a suspected fraud investigation — these prove you can handle complex, high-stakes work, and they're exactly the matters you're bound never to discuss identifiably. The instinct is to either say nothing, or write something so vague it proves nothing. There's a real middle path. 💖
What most valuation and forensic accounting firms get wrong
- Going so vague it reads as filler — "we helped a client with a complex matter" tells a referrer nothing about your capability.
- Naming enough detail to be identifiable anyway — industry, size, region and timeframe together can re-identify a matter even without naming it.
- Leading with the number, not the reasoning — a headline figure means nothing without the methodology that produced it.
- Publishing without sign-off — an anonymised case study still needs a second read from whoever handled the file, checking it can't be traced back.
The fill-in-the-blank case study template
Works for a valuation engagement, a forensic investigation, or an expert witness matter — swap the bracketed detail for your own, changed enough that no one involved could identify it:
The complexity: [What made this harder than standard — disputed assets, incomplete records, related-party transactions, a contested valuation date, competing expert reports].
Our approach: [Methodology used — capitalisation of future earnings, net asset backing, market comparables; investigative techniques for forensic work] and why it suited this matter.
The outcome: [General, non-identifying result — report accepted, matter settled ahead of trial, findings supported a negotiated resolution] described in terms of process, not a dollar figure or name.
Three worked examples
Each proves methodology and judgement without a court name, a party name, or a traceable figure. 📈
How to anonymise without hollowing it out
The rule: change the identifying combination, not the substance. Industry, size, timeframe, region and party count are what re-identify a matter — change two or three (a hospitality business becomes "a professional services business"; a figure becomes "a mid-six-figure valuation"). Keep the methodology and the shape of the outcome intact — that's what demonstrates competence. If a matter is too identifiable to anonymise safely, write about your general approach instead, without claiming it as a specific past matter.
Mistakes that put confidentiality at risk
- Using real dates — even anonymised, the actual month and year can be cross-referenced against public court listings.
- Naming the referring solicitor without their explicit permission, separate from the client's.
- Publishing case studies as a set — several from the same period, region and industry can collectively identify a matter.
- Forgetting LinkedIn — a detailed matter description in a personal post bypasses your website's review process.
Frequently asked questions
Do we need written client consent to publish an anonymised case study?
It depends on your engagement terms, but as practice, yes — an anonymised case study is safer with the client's sign-off, especially in a small industry where "anonymised" doesn't always mean unidentifiable to those involved.
Can we use real numbers if we round them?
Rounding helps but isn't enough alone — "$2.1 million" rounded to "around $2 million" can still match public records. A wider range, like "a mid-seven-figure valuation," is safer.
What if the matter was reported in the media?
Media coverage doesn't make it fair game to publish under your own byline — check engagement terms and any confidentiality order first.
Is it worth publishing case studies if they have to be this vague?
Yes, but be honest about what they prove — process and judgement, not a verifiable result. Pair them with a services page that goes deep on methodology.
Please note: general information, not legal or financial advice — check your firm's specific confidentiality, engagement and court obligations before publishing.
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