O’Connell to Lead Deloitte & Touche Dispute and Forensic Group

Professional services firm Deloitte & Touche LLP named William O’Connell as the national leader of the firm’s Dispute Consulting & Forensic Investigations practice. O’Connell, who will be based in the company’s Dallas office, most recently served as the national product line leader.

O’Connell, a founding partner of the practice, has more than 30 years of industry experience. He has held many leadership roles within the Dispute and Forensic group and in other sectors of Deloitte & Touche’s Financial Advisory Services practice.

O’Connell has also provided expert testimony in a variety of major commercial and transactional disputes. He has assisted in the presentation, preparation, negotiation and settlement of hundreds of large-scale business interruption and physical damage insurance claims ranging in size to upwards of $7 billion.

As an expert witness, O’Connell has provided testimony in determining the theory and computation of damages in major commercial litigation suits, damage issues in intellectual property disputes, insurance coverage issues related to the type and adequacy of coverage, endorsements and appropriate policy limits, and “alter ego” and piercing the corporate veil issues. Specific activities have included determination of damages and extra expense, lost profit calculations, negotiations with insurers, and preparation and settlement of numerous multimillion-dollar fidelity (employee dishonesty) claims in various industries.

O’Connell has also appeared as an expert witness in several lawsuits regarding fidelity claims and is responsible for numerous risk management consulting engagements regarding the performance review of corporate risk management departments.