Any suggestions...

Any suggestions...

Didn't find your answer?

For those who have been so kind as to follow me here's a update:

I am working for the American Internal Audit consultancy I mentioned when I last did an update as an Audit Manager. I have been here 5 months, am enjoying it greatly and have been highly praised by my line manager who admitted recently that I was "a punt" when I was recruited.

My question relates to what I should do now about qualifications:

1) The ICAEW have refused to allow me to rejoin. Unless I hire teams of lawyers and spend hundred's of thousands of pounds I do not ever see that situation being resolved. However, it's exceptionally telling to me that the ICAEW have never tried to collect the £30,000 fine they imposed on me - given their reputation for enforcing payment, it can only mean one thing to me: they know they would loose in Court.

2) As I have poor credit history resultant to my business being taken without any payment being made for it and I have the ICAEW problem, there is no point even trying to apply to ACCA

3) I have applied to CIMA, who were very sympathic, wrote to the ICAEW and then became ice cold and stated "you cannot register as a student"

Although I am thinking about doing an MBA on a distance learning basis, can anyone else suggest anything else I should consider or any other way I can gain some recognition within the accountancy world for my 15+ years experiance?

Albert

Replies (16)

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By petersaxton
30th Sep 2011 12:52

No win no fee

If you think you have a good case then look for a solicitor on that basis.

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By Albert Camus
30th Sep 2011 13:04

@ Peter

Peter

 

Thank you for your comment, but there are a number of issues:

1) Having spent nearly 5 years fighting the ICAEW I am very tired of litigation

2) Very few lawyers undertsand the quasi-governmental nature of the ICAEW and in the last 3 years of continuious searching I have found none who understand it on a no win no fee basis.

3) I have done a extensive tour of all of the mental health charities. All were warm and friendly and sympathic but all said that my issue affected too few people for them to commit resource to.

4)I am still fighting my former partners for the £1million in equity they took from me when I became ill without paying me anything for it. The case goes back and forth, back and forth and whilst I am told by my no win, no fee team of lawyers I will win, its exhausting and likly to drag on to the very steps of the Court in about 2-3 years time and as I have realised, I need to get on with my life in the meantime.

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By petersaxton
30th Sep 2011 13:12

Some more suggestions

While I can well understand litigation can be stressful I would have thought that carrying on two cases at once is a lot better than thinking of more litigation after one case is finished.

Have you approached ICAEW recently? They may have a better attitude towards you seeing as you have shown you can do well in a job.

I didn't think that distance learning had a very good reputation although it is a good idea for people who have no other possibilities. Can't you approach your employer to see if they would allow you time of for MBA courses that have some full time content even if most of it is weekends? I'd think you'd enjoy the interaction.

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By Tosie
30th Sep 2011 13:55

cipfa

Hi Albert so pleased to hear that you are doing well in your new job.

Would you consider Cipfa ? or maybe go for CTA.

the main thing is to look after your health.

The only other alternative I can think of is to go for an overseas qualification e.g. Ireland.

Good luck and keep us posted.

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Replying to timfouracre:
John Stokdyk, AccountingWEB head of insight
By John Stokdyk
30th Sep 2011 16:32

Where's C_D when you need him?

Our friend in Wales appears to have a fearsome reputation as a litigator - perhaps yours would be the kind of case he could get his teeth into.

Unfortunately his appearances in these parts have been a bit intermittent of late, but I'm sure one day soon news of your plight will reach his lair. It would be an interesting conversation, but perhaps best conducted in private!

Good luck!

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Replying to Kent accountant:
Time for change
By Time for change
30th Sep 2011 17:13

I'm just

seriously "chuffed" for you!

I've followed your (horror) story here and can only wish you the very best of good fortune.

I imagine and, would concede, that it would be very easy to persist with your search for justice in this whole, desperate, story. My own thoughts are that you should now continue with putting your life back together and, at the same time, try to put the past events into some form of perspective, although that can't be an easy task.

I sincerely wish you well and "don't let the b******s drag you down"!

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Replying to Kent accountant:
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By chatman
02nd Oct 2011 20:49

"Where's C_D when you need him?"

John Stokdyk wrote:

Where's C_D when you need him?

Our friend in Wales appears to have a fearsome reputation as a litigator - perhaps yours would be the kind of case he could get his teeth into.

Unfortunately his appearances in these parts have been a bit intermittent of late, but I'm sure one day soon news of your plight will reach his lair. It would be an interesting conversation, but perhaps best conducted in private!

Good luck!

Wasn't he bannned? Are you trying to get him back?

Anyway, with whom did he have this reputation?

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By Owain_Glyndwr
30th Sep 2011 23:45

-

 

The secret with litgation is to only start fights you can win.

The second point is to get as much informatyion as you can about your opponent's case during disclosure, whilst revealing only as much of your own case as you have to.  A lot of people make the mistake in disclosure of trying to "win" their case on paper. Sometimes you might indeed frighten the other side into settling, but usually you simply tip them off about your case. Remember, in disclosure you must disclose the evidence you intend to produce, BUT, you don't have to tell them how it fits together to destroy their case.

When you receive the other sides disclosure and statements go through them in minute detail. You are looking for anything they claim that you can PROVE to be a lie. Once you can prove a witness to be lying their entire testimony is tainted.  Find the lies, get the evidence to prove they are lying, and lay out a strategy to expose them in the witness box.

Lead them on, get them to confirm their lie, dig more detail out of them, then smack them between the eyes with the proof they are lying. If done skillfully this can destroy a witness and destroy their case.

When preparing a case decide what points you have to prove to win it, ask yourself honestly if you can indeed prove those points, if you can go ahead, if you cant, dont waste your time on the case.

I don't know enoug about your case to give a definative answer obviously, but, from what I have read, your case against your former partners would probably be winable.

The case against the ICAEW would seem appropriate for judicial review, but, as you are essentially fighting a "fine" and they have made no attempt to collect that "fine" it could be a lot of expense for little if any financial reward. As for rejoining them - why bother?  You are still qualified - you're simply no longer a member of their little club.

  

 

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By Albert Camus
01st Oct 2011 19:04

Thank you all for your replies and support. I have no desire at this stage to do battle in Court with the ICAEW. If I won the Euro millions rollover, it may be different!

I think the best route is going to be the distance learning MBA. I want to do this as it gives me a recognised qualification that encompasses my knowledge and as a route to regaining my own self respect.

If I reach a successful conclusion with my former partners I intend to start a business again. The business I am interested in is AP Auditing and cost reduction (in the style of someone like "Auditel")

If I don't reach a successful conclusion with my former partners, I will try to stay in the corporate world and will see what life brings.

I always wanted to see what I was capable of, so I suppose all of this has been the ultimate test and I am amazed at how well I have actually begain my come back.

Best regards

Albert

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By ShirleyM
01st Oct 2011 22:04

Good luck, Albert

I hope you get justice !

It sounds as though you are getting your life back in order, and your future is looking brighter. I hope this continues for you.

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FT
By FirstTab
02nd Oct 2011 11:56

MBA

Hi Albert, I think MBA would be far better than an accountancy qualification. You have gone through the mill and got through exams for an accountancy qualification. 

I highly recommend Open University MBA. It has all the badge marks required. You will gain so much from this, specially if you decide to stay in industry. I think you are more than qualified for a senior management role. MBA will give a clear message to your employers you are serious.

OU MBA is not your normal distance learning. You will be very involved with people in the group. The learning material is nothing short of exceptional. 

I gained far more from my MBA than my accountancy qualification.

Please look at OU website and arrange a time to see them. They have branches across the country.

When I was looking around it ticked all the boxes for me in terms of reputation, recognition, cost and flexibility.

Okay it's not your LBS or Harvard, I did not want all that snobbery. More importantly I did not want to end up with a massive loan.

When I was in employment, MBA open doors for me. I was stuck in  middle management. I could see why, my  business views were narrow. I did not think of other business functions outside finance.

It changes you, in the way you look at business problems. You do not even realise this. It just hits you one day.

Please post here which way you decide to go.

 Good luck Albert.

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By User deleted
02nd Oct 2011 12:35

I'll second (or third or whatever) the MBA

Sounds like a decision you won't regret and I'd agree with FT on the Open University.

Best of luck and happy studying :)

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By petersaxton
02nd Oct 2011 21:03

Isn't it obvious

"Anyway, with whom did he have this reputation?"

Himself

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Replying to thomas.peterson:
By Monty Python
02nd Oct 2011 22:37

Chatman & Petersaxton

petersaxton wrote:

"Anyway, with whom did he have this reputation?"

Himself

And with those of us who have seen him in action.

Perhaps if you were speaking from a position of knowledge instead of a position of ignorance your opinion might hold some validity. If there is a more passionate, knowledgable or effective advocate around, I have yet to see him.

Your insulting comments about someone who is not here to defend himself are unprofessional and cowardly.

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By Albert Camus
02nd Oct 2011 23:00

Time please Gentlemen

All,

Thank you all again for your comments. The support of this community has been invaluable to me, but can we please stop at this point with any issues not related to my question.

Best regards

Albert

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John Stokdyk, AccountingWEB head of insight
By John Stokdyk
03rd Oct 2011 11:55

Error of judgement

Apologies to Albert and anyone else who was incovenienced by the digression my earlier comment provoked.

It was a flippant, but inapprpropriate reference to a matter that should have left been left alone. I'm glad that we have returned to the main theme of the original post, and that Albert has received some useful feedback.

Even Aweb team members can get it wrong sometimes. I'll make a point of exercising a little more professional restraint in future.

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