Key Takeaways
- • Clark Hill is hosting a half-day Accounting Risk Management Program in Atlanta on March 31, 2026, designed for accounting and financial services firms to strengthen risk-tolerance frameworks and implement sound governance practices.
- • The program covers four substantive domains: AI applications in accounting practice, enterprise risk management for accounting, ABS law, and private equity-backed entities, claims data and underwriting trends, employment law issues, and witness preparation for litigation.
- • Four hours of continuing legal education (CLE) and continuing professional education (CPE) credits are pending approval in Georgia, making the program relevant for licensed professionals requiring credential maintenance.
- • Featured speakers include Joe Kingma (Mauldin & Jenkins), Karl Kingma and Laura Walker (covering AI and enterprise risk management), Brad Barkin (LEMME insurance underwriting), and Miles Hutton (Blueprint litigation support), representing expertise across risk management, legal, insurance, and litigation domains.
- • The program structure includes a legal update on conservation easements and statutes of limitation litigation, an AI panel discussion on professional applications, and best practices guidance on witness preparation for depositions—addressing emerging and persistent risks in the accounting profession.
Summary
Clark Hill's Accounting Risk Management Program represents a practitioner-focused response to evolving compliance and operational challenges facing accounting and financial services firms. Scheduled as a half-day event in Atlanta on March 31, 2026, the program addresses critical areas where accounting firms face heightened exposure: litigation risk, employment liability, technology integration, and underwriting scrutiny.
The curriculum reflects current market priorities. The AI component—led by Karl Kingma of Harvey and supported by a panel including Laura Walker and Lewis Perling—signals the profession's focus on practical applications of AI tools within accounting practice while managing associated risks. This responds to growing adoption of AI platforms in accounting workflows and the corresponding need for governance frameworks. The enterprise risk management segment, presented by Laura Walker of Aprio, specifically targets accounting firms, CPA practices, wealth management operations, and private equity-backed entities—a direct acknowledgment that different firm structures face distinct risk profiles and regulatory exposure.
The program also addresses persistent litigation vulnerabilities. A legal update on conservation easement litigation and statutes of limitation changes, presented by John deMoulpied of Clark Hill, reflects ongoing exposure in this practice area. The witness preparation session with Miles Hutton (Blueprint) provides tactical guidance for managing depositions and testimony, a critical skill as accounting firms increasingly face litigation discovery demands. Brad Barkin of LEMME will present claims data and underwriting trends, offering participants direct insight into insurer expectations and observed risk patterns in the sector.
Employment law receives dedicated attention through Manori de Silva's presentation on "The Many Stops on the Employment Journey," addressing an area where accounting firms face both talent retention challenges and compliance obligations. The program opens with lunch at 11:30 a.m. and concludes with a networking reception, structuring peer engagement alongside formal content delivery. Four hours of CLE and CPE credit (pending Georgia approval) provide professional credential value for attendees holding licenses in those jurisdictions.
The curriculum reflects current market priorities. The AI component—led by Karl Kingma of Harvey and supported by a panel including Laura Walker and Lewis Perling—signals the profession's focus on practical applications of AI tools within accounting practice while managing associated risks. This responds to growing adoption of AI platforms in accounting workflows and the corresponding need for governance frameworks. The enterprise risk management segment, presented by Laura Walker of Aprio, specifically targets accounting firms, CPA practices, wealth management operations, and private equity-backed entities—a direct acknowledgment that different firm structures face distinct risk profiles and regulatory exposure.
The program also addresses persistent litigation vulnerabilities. A legal update on conservation easement litigation and statutes of limitation changes, presented by John deMoulpied of Clark Hill, reflects ongoing exposure in this practice area. The witness preparation session with Miles Hutton (Blueprint) provides tactical guidance for managing depositions and testimony, a critical skill as accounting firms increasingly face litigation discovery demands. Brad Barkin of LEMME will present claims data and underwriting trends, offering participants direct insight into insurer expectations and observed risk patterns in the sector.
Employment law receives dedicated attention through Manori de Silva's presentation on "The Many Stops on the Employment Journey," addressing an area where accounting firms face both talent retention challenges and compliance obligations. The program opens with lunch at 11:30 a.m. and concludes with a networking reception, structuring peer engagement alongside formal content delivery. Four hours of CLE and CPE credit (pending Georgia approval) provide professional credential value for attendees holding licenses in those jurisdictions.
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