Employee Background Investigation 
A client asked us to conduct a background investigation on a potential hire, who the client indicated had been "up front" by indicating that he served a prison sentence for fraud.  The applicant provided the client with the court documents indicating his charge and sentence.  We found the details of his fraud had not been disclosed to the client, (identified thought research of old newspaper articles and the court file,) which was defrauding a former employer out of $1.5 million.  The applicant was not hired.

Computer Forensics Consulting: Domestic Matter
Our client, who was experiencing marital problems, got on her home computer to surf the web; and when typing a website address into the Internet browser, the auto complete function filled in a pornographic website address.  We copied the hard drive and analyzed it, and among the 30,000 pornographic images were numerous disturbing and illegal photographic images, including child pornography. The case was referred to local law enforcement, and the evidence gathered has been useful in her custody dispute.

Toxic Tort Investigation: Contaminated Site in Ojai, CA
We investigated the history of a county maintenance facility that had leaked fuel and other chemicals into the ground, some of which ended up in a client's residential property, causing sickness among members of the client's family.  We identified, located and interviewed maintenance workers with knowledge of site activities dating back to the late 1940s, and also identified historical documents and maps that assisted in the matter's successful resolution for over $1.5 million for the client.  This matter received substantial coverage.

Sexual Harassment Investigation in East Los Angeles, CA
Our client was accused of sexual harassment when to a newly hired employee stated she was being harassed by her supervisor.  With less than a month on the job, the client settled with the new employee for over $20,000, and the supervisor was terminated, after which the new employee terminated her employment.  Subsequent investigation determined that the subject and the former supervisor are involved in a romantic relationship.  Further, it was learned that she had a history of developing romantic relationships with previous employers. 

Surveillance: Access Device Fraud in San Bernardino & Los Angeles Counties 
We recently assisted an east coast client, whose business was providing fuel accounts to companies with fleets of vehicles.  Through complex surveillance involving six vehicles covering numerous sites, we provided the key evidence to local law enforcement, which is currently prosecuting the case against the multiple defendants.

Old Service Station Discovered on Site, Environmental Liability Identified 
Prior to purchasing property in Seal Beach, CA, our client hired a consultant to conduct a Phase One Environmental Site Assessment. The consultant did not find any potential environmental problems, so the client purchased the property.  Several years later underground storage tanks were discovered on site, so we were hired to develop a more accurate environmental history of the property.  Through historical land use research, cartographic review, aerial photography analysis and witness interviews, we found evidence of service stations being operated onsite by three major petroleum companies between 1935-1960; which assisted in a favorable settlement for the client.

PRP Search: Contributors Identified For Southern California Landfill Clean Up
More than 55 PRPs (potentially responsible parties) were identified as contributors to hazardous waste contamination of one of California's largest landfills that operated during the 1960s. Former landfill operators and employees, refuse company owners and drivers, municipal inspectors and waste generators were interviewed to assist in identifying the PRPs, who are shouldering the cost for the site's remediation.

100-Year Land Use History Identifies Environmental Liability 
A search was conducted for a large municipal client regarding environmental contamination that was discovered where the city constructed tenement housing back in the early 1940s. Historic land records, real estate maps, fire insurance maps, aerial photographs, taxation records and industry journals revealed that an oil refinery and a steel manufacturer had operated at the site as early as 1905, and those companies were traced to several large multinational corporations that today hold the liability and are being involved in the site clean up.

Please contact us to have someone promptly call you regarding our services.

"I am in the process of documenting a tentative settlement with the City of ---. The settlement was facilitated by all of your good investigative efforts."

Curt W. Uritz, Esq.
Fairfield, Strauss, Uritz & Kinigstein PC