About Cathy Allen

Cathy Allen, CPA helps CPA firms understand their ethical responsibilities so they can manage their risks more effectively and enhance the quality of their professional services. She consults on independence, ethics and related quality controls and designs and delivers education and training. Cathy also provides litigation support and expert witness services.

Cathy was a Managing Director in the Independence Office of a Big 4 accounting firm and formerly served as staff to the AICPA Professional Ethics Executive Committee (PEEC), where she was instrumental in developing standards and tools for the profession like the AICPA Plain English Guide to Independence and the Conceptual Framework for Independence. She authors several AICPA ethics courses. As a consultant, she helped lead the AICPA’s project to restructure the AICPA’s Code of Professional Conduct, which resulted in an online Code that is more user-friendly, understandable and accessible to members.

Cathy started her career as an accountant and auditor and taught accounting as an adjunct instructor at Queens and Bernard M. Baruch Colleges of the City University of NY (CUNY). She has a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in Accounting and Information Systems from Queens College (CUNY) and is a CPA in New York, New Jersey, and Maryland.

Cathy serves on the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy’s (NASBA) Board of Directors and chairs the NASBA Ethics Committee. She was a member of the NYS Board for Public Accountancy for eight (8) years and is a member of the AICPA PEEC's Information Technology and Cloud Services Task Force. She also serves on the Accountants Club of America's Board of Governors.

Speaking and Panel Events

Catherine Allen often speaks on professional ethics and auditor independence. Below are upcoming events:

February 28, 2020

2 pm EST

Auditor Independence: Nonattest Services Essentials

Independence compliance is a critical prerequisite for performing audit and other attest engagements. In this webinar, you’ll learn about the general requirements and principles in the AICPA’s Code of Professional Conduct for providing advisory or tax services under the independence rules. You’ll also learn about other professional and regulatory independence requirements that may impact your engagement depending on your client’s industry and reporting requirements. 1 credit of CPE in regulatory ethics.

more info

March 3, 2020

1 pm EST

Professional Ethics: Pressures & Perceptions

This program briefs you on the state of ethics in the accounting profession and developments in the regulatory and accounting community in the US and worldwide. The program also provides a concise update on the new, revised and pending rules and regulations that CPAs and others in the profession need to know so you’ll be aware of those changes and what’s coming down the pike. Lastly, it provides refreshers on important ethical considerations. Two (2) CPE credit(s) in regulatory ethics also qualify for state-specific ethics in Florida, Ohio and New York. ‍

more info

March 20, 2020

4 pm EDT

Auditor Independence: Exploring Nonaudit Services

In this webinar, you’ll learn about the types of advisory and tax services addressed in ET Section 1.295, Nonattest Services (AICPA Code of Professional Conduct) that may impact your firm’s independence. You’ll learn which services are addressed, where clear lines are drawn between permitted and prohibited services and where judgment is required. 1 credit of CPE in regulatory ethics.

more info

April 21, 2020

3 pm EDT

Professional Ethics: New York

This webinar covers current ethical requirements under the NY State Board for Public Accountancy’s regulations and developments that impact your practice as a NY CPA. Two (2) hours of CPE in regulatory ethics also qualifies for NYS Board of Public Accountancy ethics CPE. Combine with Professional Ethics:Pressures &Perceptions to fulfill the NY ethics CPE requirement.

more info

April 30, 2020

2 pm EST

Professional Ethics: Quick Update

Today’s environment requires agility and knowledge of current ethics requirements. Provides a concise review of new, revised and pending rules so you can stay informed. 1 CPE credit in regulatory ethics

more info

May 8, 2020

10 am EDT

Professional Ethics: Ohio

In this webinar, you’ll learn about your professional responsibilities under the Accountancy Board of Ohio’s rules and regulations and developments that impact your practice as an Ohio CPA. Also discussed are areas in the Ohio standards that diverge from the AICPA Code of Professional Conduct. Whether in public practice or business, this webinar provides the information you need to stay in compliance. 1 credit of CPE in regulatory ethics qualifies for Accountancy Board of Ohio ethics CPE. Combine with Professional Ethics:Pressures &Perceptions to fulfill the Ohio ethics CPE requirement.

more info

May 19, 2020

2 pm EDT

Professional Ethics: Florida

This webinar briefs you on the current ethical requirements under the Florida Board of Accountancy’s rules and regulations and developments that impact your practice as a Florida CPA. You’ll learn where the Florida rules diverge from the AICPA Code of Professional Conduct and how to apply the Code’s Conceptual Framework to address an ethical issue. Whether in public practice or business, this webinar provides the information you need to stay in compliance. 2 credits of CPE in regulatory ethics qualifies for Florida Board of Accountancy ethics CPE. Combine with Professional Ethics:Pressures &Perceptions to fulfill the Florida ethics CPE requirement.

more info

Clients/Former Clients

Some of the clients Audit Conduct serves or has served include:

American Institute of CPAs (AICPA)
Arkansas State Board of Public Accountancy
BerryDunn, LLC
BDO, LLP (formerly BDO Seidman, LLP)
Bowers & Company, CPAs, PLLC
Briggs & Veselka Co.
Cherry, Bekaert & Holland, LLC (now Cherry Bekaert, LLC)
CliftonLarsonAllen, LLC (previously Clifton Gunderson, LLP)
CPAacademy.org
Elliott Davis, LLC (previously Elliott Davis Decosimo, LLC)
KPMG, LLP
Lurie, LLP (previously Lurie, Besikof, Lapidus & Co, LLP )
Marcum, LLP
MarksNelson, LLC
McGladrey & Pullen, LLP (now RSM US, LLP)
MSL CPAs &Advisors
National Credit Union Administration (NCUA)
New York State Society of CPAs - Foundation for Accounting Education (FAE)
PricewaterhouseCoopers - Canada
Rea & Associates, Inc.
Rehmann Robson, LLC
Richey May & Co., LLP

What Clients Say

I really appreciate having Cathy Allen as a resource and sounding board on independence matters. It’s great to have such an experienced independent consultant to call upon for fresh perspectives and sound advice when unique or challenging issues arise.

Anita Ford, CPA, CFE

Chief Practice Officer-Clifton Gunderson

I have worked with Cathy Allen over the years – initially while she was a Senior Manager in the Ethics Division of the AICPA and I was a member of the AICPA Professional Ethics Executive Committee and, more recently, as an independent consultant after she started her own business, Audit Conduct. Cathy not only has deep knowledge of the ethical and independence standards governing the public accounting profession – she know how to explain them in plain English. She has been an excellent resource to our firm, helping us communicate our independence and ethical policies more clearly and effectively to our professional staff. In each case, she has delivered quality products to our firm on time and on budget

Bruce Webb

Executive Partner, National Office of Audit and Accounting-McGladrey & Pullen, LLP

We’ve worked with Cathy twice over the years. She is competent and professional. I look forward to working with her in the future.

Larry Shapiro

National Independence Director-BDO Seidman, LLP

Cathy has worked on various ethics-related projects for the AICPA Professional Ethics Division. She is diligent, meets all deadlines and produces quality work products. I would recommend Cathy for all aspects of ethics related matters.

Lisa A. Snyder, CPA

Director-Professional Ethics Division, AICPA

Knowledgeable, thorough, accurate.

Howard Wilensky, CPA, CFE, CGMA

Partner, Lurie, LLP

I first met Cathy when she was Senior Manager at the AICPA and I was a member of the AICPA Professional Ethics Executive Committee. I had the opportunity to work with Cathy on some technical projects including the “modernization” of the AICPA independence rules back in 2001. Through those interactions I gained an immediate appreciation for her knowledge of the independence rules. Currently our firms uses Cathy as our outside independence consultant. Cathy has been very responsive to our inquiries which is greatly appreciated as often these are very time sensitive. She is a valuable resource for consulting on AICPA, DOL and SEC/PCAOB independence topics. We appreciate her perspective as someone who is outside of our firm.

Chris Piché , CPA

Managing Principal, Ethics; CliftonLarsonAllen, LLC

I had the pleasure of working with Cathy Allen in connection with her engagement as an expert witness. The case involved novel issues of ethical standards to be applied to accountants. We also were under strict time pressure. Cathy was resourceful and provided a prompt, thorough and thoughtful analysis of the issues. She was a real asset and I would not hesitate to use her services again.

Peter Goodman

Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP