Corporate Due Diligence
Before entering a merger, acquisition, partnership or significant investment, knowing who you are dealing with is not optional. Corporate due diligence is the process of establishing, through professional investigation, whether the individuals, companies and circumstances you are relying upon are what they appear to be.
Vera & Vale provides evidence-led corporate due diligence services to businesses, organisations, professional advisers and investors across the UK. Our investigations are conducted with the analytical rigour of our ex-police founding team, and our reports are formatted to a standard suitable for commercial decision-making or legal disclosure.
Confirmation of the legal structure, including registered details, ownership, beneficial ownership and any relationships between the company and associated entities that are not immediately apparent.
Background research on key directors, shareholders and stakeholders, covering identity confirmation, professional history, directorship history including dissolved companies, adverse media and reputational information, and any relevant litigation history.
A thorough review of publicly available media sources for any information that represents a reputational, financial or legal risk to the enquiring party.
An assessment of publicly available financial information for indicators of instability, exposure or risk. This is distinct from formal financial due diligence but provides important contextual intelligence.
A review of publicly available information on court proceedings, regulatory actions, legal disputes or enforcement history relevant to the company or its principals.
For companies seeking assurance about suppliers or subcontractors, we can extend due diligence coverage to these relationships.
Financial and legal due diligence are standard components of most significant transactions. Investigative due diligence addresses a different set of questions: not whether the numbers add up, but whether the people and circumstances involved are what they appear to be.
It identifies misrepresentation, concealed connections, undisclosed legal history and reputational risks that would not surface through financial or legal review alone. Vera & Vale’s ex-police analytical background means we approach this work with structured methodology, a high degree of scepticism and a commitment to accurate, verifiable findings.
Reports are produced to professional standard and formatted for the intended use: internal decision-making, board presentation or disclosure to legal advisers. We clearly distinguish between confirmed facts, reported information and gaps in the available record.
All engagements are governed by strict confidentiality arrangements. We understand that due diligence on a potential transaction partner is commercially sensitive, and we operate with the discretion that demands.
Client Feedback
FAQs
It is the process of investigating individuals, companies and circumstances associated with a proposed transaction, partnership or investment to identify risks, inconsistencies and material information that would affect the decision. It complements financial and legal due diligence by addressing reputational, behavioural and intelligence-based risk factors.
Reports typically cover company structure and ownership, director and stakeholder background checks, adverse media screening, financial risk indicators, litigation and legal history, and other areas relevant to the specific transaction.
Financial due diligence assesses whether the financial records are accurate. Investigative due diligence asks whether the people and circumstances are what they appear to be. The two are complementary, and investigative due diligence is particularly important where principal parties are private individuals or unlisted entities.
Standard director and company checks can be completed in a few working days. More complex investigations involving multiple principals or international elements may take longer. We confirm timescales at the outset.
Yes. Our reports are produced to professional evidential standards. If court or tribunal use is anticipated, advise us at the outset so we can tailor the documentation approach.
