Rebecca Conoulty, Sapere Forensic

Our Spotlight Series, coordinated by the ERE Young Practitioners’ Committee, continues this month with an interview with Rebecca Conoulty from Sapere . If you would like to be featured in an edition of the Spotlight Series please email Patricia Moroney ([email protected]) or Laura Powell ([email protected])

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Rebecca, please tell us a little more about your background:

I started my career fresh out of high school, landing a role at a firm that ultimately merged with Deloitte. I was lucky enough to be on a cadetship, working full-time in the audit division while pursuing a Bachelor of Business part-time, majoring in accounting and finance. I stayed in that role for about six years, then took a brief detour to work at Bankers Trust before returning to the profession at Arthur Andersen in the disputes division. It was there, alongside some of the brightest minds in the industry, that I began my career in forensic accounting. After Arthur Andersen merged with EY in Australia, I spent another seven years with the combined team. During that time, I not only developed my forensic accounting skills, but I also made lifelong friends, and developed a network I still value deeply today.

After my time with EY, I joined CRA just as it was establishing itself in Australia. A small group of us later moved to LECG, and after a management buyout, we rebranded as Sapere, with our team becoming Sapere Forensic. I’ve been part of this fantastic group for the last 18 years, working alongside talented professionals who constantly inspire me.

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What has been the highlight of your career?

Picking one single highlight is impossible. My career has been filled with standout moments, mostly rooted in working with incredible teams from whom I’ve learned so much. Early on, it was at Arthur Andersen and EY, and in more recent years, it’s been with the talented people at Sapere Forensic. For me, a career highlight is getting to dive into large complex cases with a team of passionate people, solving problems together. And if our hard work and insights get validated by the Court, then that is a bonus.

I believe in surrounding yourself with people who push you to grow. If you’re the smartest person in the room too soon, you’re probably not challenging yourself enough. One of my proudest achievements has been helping to grow our Sapere Forensic team from six to nineteen people over the past 18 years—a talented and enthusiastic group who you can bounce ideas off and who I love working with every day.

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What has been the biggest challenge of your career??

A few challenges come to mind, each significant in its own way. One of the first was balancing work and motherhood. I had my first child at 28, after working full-time since I was 18. Shifting to part-time work was a big adjustment, especially as I wanted to stay involved in the larger cases while working from home one day a week. I was the first in our Arthur Andersen group to request a remote work arrangement. Fortunately, I worked with supportive partners willing to try something new, along with great family support, especially from my parents.

Another challenge was moving from supporting experts to becoming an expert myself. For much of my career, I was the one doing the groundwork while someone else signed the report. Transitioning to the lead role took some adjustment, especially since it sometimes meant taking on smaller, simpler cases at first. But that shift has been incredibly rewarding.

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What career advice would you give your younger self?

Believe in yourself more! Looking back, I realise there were times I could have said “yes” to new opportunities or avoided doubting my abilities. Confidence can make all the difference.

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What is the secret to having longevity as an expert witness??

A few things really matter:

??? ????????? Attention to detail—check and double-check everything.

??? ????????? Meeting client deadlines. If you say you’ll deliver a report by Friday, make sure it’s on their desk by Friday.

??? ????????? Breaking down complex issues so they’re easily understood by lawyers and Judges.

??? ????????? Staying within your expertise and not feeling pressured to give opinions just to please clients, which can be tempting when the stakes are high and they are paying your fees.

??? ????????? Being fully prepared for meetings and Court appearances.

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Question from last month’s interviewee (Amanda Fyffe, Baker Tilly): What can you do, and more importantly, what are you doing now, to support and champion our future experts?

If someone on my team has done substantial work on a case, I encourage them to present their findings in team meetings and communicate directly with the client. I want clients to know that there are multiple experts at Sapere, all with slightly different skills, not just one or two. Supporting my team’s growth and encouraging them to step into the expert role is something I’m passionate about.

I run fortnightly knowledge-sharing sessions where we discuss current cases and emerging challenges. For the younger team members, it is important to get as much experience on as many cases as you can, and take every opportunity to learn. Ask me or other team members as many questions as you like. Even after 25 years in forensic accounting, I still encounter new challenges, and that’s one of the best parts of this field—there’s always something new to learn!

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What would you like to ask the next expert to be featured in the Spotlight Series?

How do you encourage work life balance in your team, or can you provide an example of how you demonstrate this ?

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