Even the best-run companies may fail, from time to time, to comply with legal requirements, good business practices, or even ethical standards. Sometimes companies even fail to live up to the standards they set out for themselves. But companies can create processes to monitor their compliance with the law and their own established codes of conduct and policies, so that compliance is part of their core business operations ensuring that non-compliance is quickly discovered, and that remedial action contributes to the success of the business.

In the post-Enron environment, companies face increased financial, legal and public relations risk if they fail to comply with the appropriate laws and rules and the standards that apply to them and their stockholders. Companies are under increasing scrutiny from regulators, their customers and investors, all of which judge the company by different standards. "Compliance" programs help a company establish a process to set the right standards - and then monitor the company's progress in meeting them.

Powell Goldstein has provided compliance support to dozens of its clients, in a variety of industries and jurisdictions. We have assisted clients in complying with specific legal regimes - for example, healthcare, antitrust and international laws - and also have developed comprehensive programs, including training programs and audit procedures. Our compliance team is made up of a cross-section of attorneys from a variety of practice groups who offer clients a combination of substantive legal expertise and extensive experience with all aspects of corporate compliance programs.

Together, we have:

• Performed compliance audits and updates for a major aerospace manufacturer and a major small appliance manufacturer/distributor
• Worked with various hospitals and healthcare providers on implementing and improving their internal compliance programs
• Assisted a major footwear and apparel manufacturer with the development and implementation of an international compliance program
• Assisted clients with document and e-mail retention policies
• Undertaken a compliance "best practices" survey for BellSouth Corporation, in which we interviewed the heads of corporate compliance at over two dozen Fortune 200 Corporations concerning the compliance programs and procedures at their companies