Clark Hill attorneys are experienced in handling issues arising from the recently passed Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, which criminalizes certain activities of corporate officers, directors and public accountants in the preparation and publication of financial statements and other corporate reports. This Act provides for criminal penalties of up to $10 million and 20 years in prison, and has greatly increased the need for experienced criminal defense counsel in providing advice to boards of directors and audit committees of publicly held companies, in addition to their accounting firms. Corporate Practice Group Leader D. Kerry Crenshaw has prepared the following summary of the Act and its ramifications: The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002