J.S. Held is a global consulting firm that combines technical, scientific, financial, and strategic expertise to advise clients seeking to realize value and mitigate risk. Our professionals serve as trusted advisors to organizations facing high stakes matters demanding urgent attention, staunch integrity, proven experience, clear-cut analysis, and an understanding of both tangible and intangible assets. The firm provides a comprehensive suite of services, products, and data that enable clients to navigate complex, contentious, and often catastrophic situations.


More than 1,500 professionals serve organizations across six continents, including, 81% of the Global 200 Law Firms, 70% of the Forbes Top 20 Insurance Companies (85% of the NAIC top 50 Property & Casualty Insurers), and 65% of the Fortune 100 Companies.


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what-comes-next-in-ukraine-livia-paggi-breaks-down-trumpzelensky-peace-plan-talks-and-the-stakes-ahead

What Comes Next In Ukraine? Livia Paggi Breaks Down Trump–Zelensky Peace Plan Talks And The Stakes Ahead

Livia Paggi, J.S. Held's Global Risk Advisory Expert was interviewed by Sky News about the recent meeting between Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky

Managing Director

In a recent interview, Livia Paggi of J.S. Held discussed the implications of reported discussions between President Donald Trump and President Volodymyr Zelensky about a potential peace plan aimed at ending the war in Ukraine. The conversation focused on what these talks signal politically, what pressure points may be shaping each leader’s approach, and why the timing and framing of any “peace plan” matters as much as the details themselves.

Paggi emphasized that peace-plan conversations at this level often have multiple audiences at once: domestic political constituencies, international allies, and adversaries assessing resolve and leverage. She explored how diplomatic positioning can influence the credibility of negotiations and how public messaging, even before formal agreements exist, can shift perceptions on the battlefield, at the negotiating table, and across NATO-aligned capitals.

The interview also examined the risks embedded in any peace-plan narrative. Paggi highlighted that negotiation efforts can introduce uncertainty for markets, governments, and populations when expectations outpace realities. She discussed how the mechanics of ending a war extend beyond a headline announcement, including enforcement, guarantees, verification, and the long-term stability of whatever framework is proposed.

When we look at what Trump is likely to do, he's going to try to go back and forth, favor different political actors and see what he can do to unlock the situation.   A copy of the full interview is below:

 For journalists following the Ukraine war, shifting diplomatic strategies, or the real-world consequences of peace negotiations, Livia Paggi offers a clear, practical lens on what these discussions could mean next. Her perspective helps reporters move beyond political theatre and toward the key questions: what’s being signaled, who gains leverage, what conditions would make an agreement durable, and what risks emerge if the process breaks down.

Looking to connect with Livia Paggi? Livia is a sought-after speaker and regularly provides commentary on global political trends for the media, including for the BBC, Bloomberg TV, CNN, and the Financial Times. Livia is the recipient of numerous awards for her work. Most recently, she was named by Management Today as one of Britain’s top women in business under 35 and Bloomberg TV named her as one of the top female foreign policy commentators.

Click on her profile icon to arrange an interview or get deeper insights into geopolitical risk, government relations, and business impacts.


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AI as IP™: A Framework for Boards, Executives, and Investors

This article provides conceptual frameworks for valuing and accounting for Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a company's productive capital.

Chief Intellectual Property Officer, J.S. Held

 Under current corporate accounting practices, artificial intelligence (AI) companies’ most valuable resources – large language models, training datasets, and algorithms – remain “off the books” or uncapitalized. As the importance of AI continues to grow in the global knowledge-based economy, financial statements are becoming less representative of a company’s true worth, creating a recognition gap. 

In this article, James E. Malackowski, Eric Carnick, and David Ngo present several conceptual frameworks to bridge this gap. They explain how the triangulation of three valuation approaches can reveal both the tangible investment base and the intangible, strategic upside of AI assets. In turn, these approaches provide board-level visibility into where AI capital resides and how it contributes to enterprise value.

 James E. Malackowski is the Chief Intellectual Property Officer (CIPO) of J.S. Held and Co-founder of Ocean Tomo, a part of J.S. Held. Mr. Malackowski has served as an expert on over one hundred occasions on intellectual property economics, including valuation, royalty, lost profits, price erosion, licensing terms, venture financing, copyright fair use, and injunction equities. He has substantial experience as a Board Director for leading technology corporations, research organizations, and companies with critical brand management issues.  This article is the second installment in our three-part series, Artificial Intelligence as Intellectual Property or “AI as IP™”, which explores how artificial intelligence assets should be treated as a form of intellectual property and enterprise capital. The first article, “A Strategic Framework for the Legal Profession”, explored the legal foundations for recognizing and protecting AI assets. The upcoming third article, “Guide for SMEs to Classify, Protect, and Monetize AI Assets”, will provide practical steps for small and mid-sized enterprises to turn AI into measurable economic value.

 To explore the topic further, simply connect with James through his icon below.


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J.S. Held Releases the Lending Climate in America Survey Results

Phoenix Management, a Part of J.S. Held Lending Survey Results Reveal Continued Concern About Political Uncertainty

Senior Managing Director | Strategic Advisory Practice Lead

  Global consulting firm J.S. Held reveals the “Lending Climate in America” survey results from Phoenix Management, a part of J.S. Held. The fourth quarter survey results highlight the persisting lender views on policy decisions and their national/global impacts.
 


The “Lending Climate in America” survey is administered quarterly to lenders from various commercial banks, finance companies, and factors across the country. We collect, tabulate, and analyze the results to create a complete evaluation of national attitudes and trends.


Phoenix’s Q4 2025 “Lending Climate in America” survey asked lenders which factors could have the strongest potential to impact the economy in the upcoming six months. Forty-six percent of lenders think political uncertainty will have the strongest impact on the economy, while 41% of lenders believe geopolitical risk (war) has the strongest potential to impact the economy. Lenders continue to believe that the possibility of a U.S. recession and upcoming FOMC interest rate decisions will impact the economy. 


Lenders revealed what actions their customers may take in the next six months. Almost two-thirds of the surveyed lenders believe their customers will raise additional capital, while 30%+ of the surveyed lenders believe their customers will introduce new products and make acquisitions.


Forty-three percent of respondents identified the retail trade industry as the most likely to experience volatility in the next six months, followed by the healthcare (social assistance) industry at 38% of respondents.


Additionally, Phoenix’s “Lending Climate in America” survey asked lenders if their respective institutions plan to tighten, maintain, or relax their loan structures for various sized loans. For larger loan structures (greater than $25M), the plan to maintain loan structures remained relatively constant from Q3 to Q4, increasing by 9%. As loan sizes decrease, lenders plan to maintain their loan structures. Loans in the range of $15-25M and $5-15M saw very similar structure changes from Q3 to Q4. Loans under $5M had no change in structure.


Lender optimism in the U.S. economy decreased for the near term, moving from 2.58 in Q3 2025 to 2.38. In this current quarter, there is heavy expectation of a B level performance (49%), with a majority of the remainder (41%) sitting at a C level. Lender expectations for the U.S. economy’s performance in the longer term also decreased from 2.71 to 2.46. Of the lenders surveyed, 54% believe the U.S. economy will perform at a B level during the next twelve months, virtually no change from the prior quarter. Performance expectations at the D level increased by 5%, matching the increase at a C level.


 
To see the full results of Phoenix’s “Lending Climate in America” Survey, please visit:

 “Lenders are signaling heightened caution as political uncertainty and geopolitical risks dominate near-term economic concerns,” says Michael Jacoby, Senior Managing Director and Strategic Advisory Practice Lead at J.S. Held.  “Confidence in the U.S. economy continues to erode, with short-term grades slipping from a weighted average of 2.58 in Q3 to 2.38 in Q4, and long-term expectations following the same downward trend. While most lenders plan to maintain current loan structures, a notable 21% anticipate tightening terms, even as 77% expect further Fed rate cuts in the coming months. Industry volatility is projected to rise sharply in healthcare, consumer products, and finance, underscoring a challenging environment for borrowers and investors alike.”


To learn more about how our experts can add value to your stories in development, simply connect with Michael through his icon below.


global-honors-highlight-js-helds-unmatched-technical-and-advisory-expertise

Global Honors Highlight J.S. Held’s Unmatched Technical and Advisory Expertise

J.S. Held expertise is recognized by global news outlets, ratings agencies, and research firms.

 J.S. Held proudly celebrates the numerous industry and expert recognitions earned throughout 2025. As a global consulting firm, J.S. Held continues to be acknowledged for its deep financial, technical, and scientific expertise, with leading outlets highlighting the firm’s capabilities across investigations, risk advisory, forensics, turnaround and restructuring, business intelligence, and litigation support. The firm’s curated team of entrepreneurs — each with an unrivaled understanding of both tangible and intangible assets — reflects a collective strength that is recognized worldwide.

Beyond organizational achievements, J.S. Held’s experts received individual distinctions that further demonstrate their standing as leaders within their respective fields. Industry publications and ranking bodies honoured these specialists for excellence in arbitration, construction and engineering, environmental consulting, forensic accounting, investigations, litigation support, intellectual property, specialty finance, and a wide range of other highly specialized domains.

Together, these recognitions underscore J.S. Held’s commitment to delivering trusted insight and unparalleled expertise as clients navigate increasingly complex challenges. In a rapidly evolving business landscape, the firm remains dedicated to providing informed, innovative, and practical solutions that enable organizations to move forward with confidence.

Click on the link below to learn more about our recognition and respective areas of expertise:

 Expert recognition by notable organizations serves as a further testament to J.S. Held's agile, collaborative, creative, and client-centric team, reflecting the trusted advisor role the firm has earned over the last 50 years.

For any media inquiries, contact:
Kristi L. Stathis, J.S. Held
+1 786 833 4864
Kristi.Stathis@JSHeld.com 

detecting-fraud-using-emerging-technology-innovating-beyond-traditional-controls

Detecting Fraud Using Emerging Technology: Innovating Beyond Traditional Controls

Senior Managing Director

  Fraud and financial crime are evolving at a pace that challenges even the most established detection systems. From cyber-enabled schemes and complex financial misappropriations to subtle internal manipulations, traditional audit and compliance methods are often too slow or too narrow to keep up. In a world where billions of data points can hide a single irregularity, the investigative advantage now lies in speed, intelligence, and technological adaptability.

J.S. Held’s Ken Feinstein recently authored an article exploring how artificial intelligence, machine learning, and advanced data analytics tools are transforming how organizations uncover and prevent fraud. In his piece, “Detecting Fraud Using Emerging Technology: Don’t Be Afraid to Innovate,” Feinstein illustrates how the integration of digital investigation techniques — from automation to predictive analytics — is reshaping the fraud-detection landscape, helping companies not just react to wrongdoing but anticipate and deter it.

Ken Feinstein specializes in investigative data analytics and has over 25 years of experience. He provides data analytics solutions spanning multiple sectors, including retail and consumer products, life sciences, technology, financial services, and industrial products. His clients include law firms and Fortune 500 legal and compliance teams for whom he delivers large-scale, complex investigations, regulatory response matters, proactive anti‐fraud efforts, and compliance programs.

View his profile here Why This Matters  As fraudsters exploit digital tools and globalized networks, detection efforts must evolve in kind. Regulators expect faster, data-driven investigations, and boards demand real-time risk visibility. Those who innovate with AI-enabled detection and forensic analytics are better positioned to protect assets, reputation, and shareholder trust.

 Looking to know more? Connect with Ken Feinstein today by clicking on his icon below.


forensic-meteorology-in-insurance-bridging-weather-science-claims-and-liability

Forensic Meteorology in Insurance: Bridging Weather Science, Claims, and Liability

Meteorologist Senior Vice President

  When severe weather strikes, the insurance industry is not only contending with damage and loss, but also with the question: Did this storm event actually occur, and did it trigger the risk covered under policy terms? J.S. Held's forensic meteorologist Daniel Schreiber authored an article explaining how Certified Consulting Meteorologists substantiate (or refute) storm-event claims by reconstructing what the weather actually did at a loss location. In his article “Forensic Meteorology in Insurance: How Do Certified Consulting Meteorologists Help with Storm Damage Claims & Disputes?” Schreiber illustrates how the overlap of a valid insurance policy, a damaging event, and a verified storm forms the core of many disputed claims.

  Dan Schreiber is a Certified Consulting Meteorologist with over ten years of experience in military, aviation, and severe weather operations. Mr. Schreiber has provided consulting and expert services for both plaintiff and defense law firms and insurance adjusters, appraisers, umpires, and policyholders throughout North America. He has been consulted and/or retained as an expert in over 850 matters and has testified in both depositions and during trials in state and federal courts.

View his profile here Why This Matters  In an era of escalating extreme weather events and heightened exposure for insurers, the science of forensic meteorology — the application of certified weather expertise to claims investigation and litigation — is becoming indispensable. Professional meteorology, as it relates to insurance claims handling and the litigation process, is becoming increasingly recognized, and the employment of meteorologists within the insurance industry is growing.

Schedule an interview with Daniel Schreiber to learn more about how forensic meteorologists can help with insurance claims and disputes by clicking on his icon below.


the-case-for-outofcourt-winddowns

The Case for Out-of-Court Winddowns

Out-of-court winddowns allow boards, sponsors and lenders to retain decision-making power, instead of handing control over to the courts.

  Boards of directors facing insolvency should consider an out-of-court winddown as a viable alternative to bankruptcy or court-appointed receivership. This approach offers greater discretion and control, helping to safeguard their reputation and maintain constructive relationships with lenders and sponsors. 

 
A recent article by J.S. Held's Michael Jacoby, titled "The Case for Out-of-Court Winddowns," provides step-by-step guidance on the out-of-court winddown process and explains why it’s gaining popularity by comparing the pros and cons to more traditional business closure paths. 

 Michael Jacoby, Senior Managing Director and Strategic Advisory Practice Lead of J.S. Held, is a skilled executive with extensive operating, turnaround, restructuring, and M&A experience. Michael has served in advisory capacities as well as an independent director, Chief Restructuring Officer (CRO), investment banker, and interim manager for more than 400 clients in various industries. View his profile here. Why this matters: As financial pressures mount — rising interest rates, tighter credit, private-equity portfolio stress — the flexibility and control of out-of-court winddowns make them a timely alternative. Boards, lenders, and private equity sponsors who recognize this can act faster, protect reputation, and maximize value for stakeholders.

 Looking to know more? Connect with Michael Jacoby today by clicking on his icon below.


crosscurrents-global-sustainability-divides-esg-compliance-litigation-risks-and-corporate-responsibility

Crosscurrents: Global Sustainability Divides & ESG Compliance, Litigation Risks, and Corporate Responsibility

Rising ESG scrutiny is reshaping compliance, reputation, and strategy — here’s how leaders can navigate the divide.

Executive Vice President | Environmental, Health & Safety Practice Lead

  As sustainability moves from niche topic to boardroom central, companies face an increasingly complex global environment of regulatory divergence, disclosure demands and reputational risk. A recent article by J.S. Held's John Peiserich examines how multinational firms can respond effectively to the “crosscurrents” of ESG compliance, litigation exposure and evolving definitions of corporate responsibility.

 John Peiserich specializes in environmental risk and compliance. With over 30 years of experience, John provides consulting and expert services for heavy industry and law firms throughout the country with a focus on Oil & Gas, Energy, and Public Utilities, including serving as an expert witness in arbitration proceedings and in state and federal courts. View his profile here Key Insights:  Sustainability now touches every major business function — environmental, social, and governance — and must be embedded in strategy rather than treated as an add-on. Regulatory landscapes are diverging: while the U.S. federal approach remains fragmented, individual states like California are moving ahead with mandatory climate and emissions-related corporate disclosures. In contrast, the European Union’s Green Deal and related frameworks promote a more unified regulatory model, creating operational tension for multinational corporations. Litigation and disclosure risk are increasing, with “greenwashing” (overstating sustainability achievements) and “greenhushing” (avoiding or under-reporting ESG performance) emerging as major board-level concerns. Effective risk management now requires scalable data systems, transparent communication, strong governance, and agility to adapt across multiple regulatory regimes.  Why this matters:  The widening divide between jurisdictions — and intensifying scrutiny of corporate sustainability claims — means ESG compliance can no longer be treated as a checkbox exercise. Organizations that fail to anticipate regulatory expectations or align ESG strategy with business goals risk legal exposure, reputational harm, and missed opportunities for value creation.

Strategic Insights for Corporate Leadership on Sustainability   Boards and executives must adjust their mindset, seeing sustainability not as a burden but as a catalyst for growth and differentiation. Proactive investment in research, development, and stakeholder engagement will help organizations seize new opportunities and maintain credibility in a fast-changing world.

Documentation and transparency are vital defenses against legal challenges, while ongoing monitoring of policy and market trends ensures adaptability. Ultimately, the most successful companies will treat sustainability as an essential tenet of strategy—aligning profit, purpose, and governance to secure their position in the global marketplace.

Navigating the crosscurrents of sustainability requires courage, judgment, and a commitment to continuous learning. By embracing these principles, corporations can build a future that is not only profitable but also just, resilient, and worthy of the trust placed in them by shareholders and society alike.

 Looking to know more or connect with John Peiserich about this important topic? Simply click on his icon now to arrange an interview today.


unlocking-liquidity-through-fine-art-appraisal-and-lending

Unlocking Liquidity Through Fine Art Appraisal and Lending

J.S. Held experts Amanda McConaha, Michael Alexander, and Dalton Campbell share insights into leveraging fine art collections as collateral for financial flexibility.

 As financial markets shift, fine art collectors and investors are discovering new ways to unlock liquidity without parting with prized works. Art-backed loans, supported by professional appraisal, allow owners to access capital while maintaining ownership and display rights.

This article explores how lenders and borrowers alike can benefit from these arrangements—when supported by rigorous appraisal standards and careful risk management.

What’s covered: •	The role of USPAP-compliant appraisal in fine art lending
	•	How fair market value differs from insurance replacement value
	•	Loan-to-Value (LTV) ratios and best practices in structuring art-backed loans
	•	Key borrower responsibilities: insurance, storage, and title maintenance
	•	Risk considerations for lenders, including authenticity, liquidity, and due diligence

  Connect with the Experts    Amanda McConaha Senior Fine Art Appraiser Expert in Post-War, Contemporary, and Emerging Fine Art valuations, specializing in collateral loans and insurance appraisals.
amanda.mcconaha@jsheld.com  Michael Alexander Senior Vice President, Economic Damages & Valuations Brings deep expertise in valuation methodologies, forensic investigations, and financial analysis.
michael.alexander@jsheld.com  Dalton Campbell Consultant, Economic Damages & Valuations Provides financial and economic analysis with a focus on valuation, estate law, and all stages of pre-litigation and litigation support.
dalton.campbell@jsheld.com  For any  media inquiries, contact : Kristi L. Stathis, J.S. Held +1 786 833 4864 Kristi.Stathis@JSHeld.com. 

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