Jennifer Exner FCA
Managing Director and Forensic Accountant
Jen is a Fellow Chartered Accountant, having been admitted as a Member of CA ANZ in 1988. Jen is a Sydney‑based forensic accountant and experienced expert witness with over 35 years’ experience in accountancy and tax and 25 years specialising in forensic assignments. A former Partner at EY, Horwath Sydney Partnership and Deloitte, Jen is frequently appointed as a Single Expert in family law proceedings and has given evidence in approximately 30 matters in several courts and tribunals across Australia.
Professional memberships and credentials
- Bachelor of Economics (Accounting and Economics), Macquarie University
- Fellow Chartered Accountant, Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CA ANZ)
- Member, Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD)
- Member, Family law Section | Law Council of Australia
Expertise and focus
- Expert witness appointments as Single Expert or Independent Expert; regular ‘shadow expert’ engagements to review opposing opinions and assist solicitors with mediation and trial preparation.
- Valuation of privately owned and entrepreneurial businesses, including commercial goodwill and other intangibles; indicative and formal valuations for disputes, family law and commercial purposes (internal restructures, CGT cost base/current market value, sale and purchase assessments).
- Valuation of equity and other financial interests within complex private groups (companies, trusts, partnerships, superannuation funds, joint ventures, syndicates), with clear explanation of structures, rights and inter‑entity arrangements.
- Quantification of loss and damages, including loss of profits, loss of opportunity, account of profits, business interruption/extinguishment, and warranty/earn‑out disputes.
- Forensic accounting investigations: funds tracing, interpretation and reconstruction of financial statements, analysis of anomalies and irregularities.
- Court and tribunal experience giving evidence in the Family Court of Australia (Sydney, Parramatta, Adelaide), Federal Court of Australia, Supreme Courts of NSW and Victoria, Land & Environment Court of NSW, Guardianship Tribunal of NSW, NSW Consumer, Trader & Tenancy Tribunal, and the District Court of NSW (Criminal Court with a jury). Testimony also given in arbitrations and mediations (Sydney and Albury).
Representative case snapshots
Story 1
Jen was appointed to act for both the landlord and tenant in relation to the early surrender of a lease, brought about by factors outside their control. Two forensic accountants had previously provided reports in relation to their assessment as to what would be a reasonable amount to pay the tenant in the circumstances. Jen provided critiques of the earlier reports, explaining the limitations of each and provided the parties with a model where the key inputs could be flexed by them when negotiating a settlement, which they successfully did without the need to file proceedings.
Story 2
Jen acted for a lady in her family law proceedings where there were many unresolved questions involving the source and application of substantial funds earned by the husband over a long period of time. Jen led a significant funds tracing exercise, which enabled her to explain to her client and to the lawyers the flow of funds and the remaining anomalies and their significance, which enabled the lawyers to direct their efforts to the key issues during the property settlement negotiations.
Story 3
Jen was appointed as the single expert in a family law matter where each party had also retained their own independent expert, who had filed their own valuation reports. At the time of her appointment, the matter had been in progress for over a decade. Prior to hearing, a conclave of the experts was held in Melbourne, which was led by Jen. Over the course of that meeting, one of the experts conceded a number of technical aspects of his valuation, which resulted in his conclusion being revised downward by a substantial amount, resulting in a much narrower range of opinions as to the value of the extensive corporate group. The parties were then able to settle the matter without the need for (or the cost of) a final hearing, enabling the parties to finally resolve the matter and move forward with their lives.
Story 4
In a shareholder dispute filed in the Supreme Court of NSW, at issue was the value of a shareholder of a minority interest. Jen was acting for the defendant construction company. While giving evidence, the counterparty’s valuer conceded that he had learned a lot about valuation from Jen in the course of undertaking this assignment. The case resulted in the company buying the shares back at the value determined by Jen, which was several million dollars less than the claim, thereby easing financial pressures on the company.
Ready to discuss your matter?
We welcome confidential enquiries from lawyers or business owners who are not in litigated proceedings. If the matter is a potential Single Expert witness appointment, please send us an email with the relevant information and copy in the counterparty.