A
Company management and HR departments
They need to verify conduct, protect company assets and handle disciplinary matters grounded in evidence.
B2B branch · Corporate & Legal
Corporate and legal investigations in Milan.
Investigative enquiries for companies, law firms, HR management and compliance functions. Unfair competition, employee infidelity, abuse of Legge 104/92, due diligence: documentation usable in court, an ethical approach, structured confidentiality.
Every service in detail
Fifteen areas of
intervention.
Each service has its own dedicated page with a full description, legal references and operational process. Select one to learn more, or request a confidential conversation.
01
Protection of company assets
Protection of tangible and intangible assets through surveillance, information gathering and risk analysis.
02
Employee disloyalty — false clock-ins
Investigations into altered working hours, unjustified absences, clock-ins made by third parties. Support for dismissal for just cause under art. 2119 of the Italian Civil Code (art. 2119 c.c.).
art. 2119 c.c.
03
False workplace injuries
Investigative verification of simulated or exaggerated workplace injuries. Evidentiary documentation to protect the business.
04
False sick leave
Ascertaining conduct incompatible with the declared state of illness. Compliant with art. 2104 of the Italian Civil Code (art. 2104 c.c.) and settled case law.
art. 2104 c.c.
05
Dismissals for absenteeism
Verification of repeated and unjustified absences. Documentation of contractual breaches and of the duty of good faith.
06
Dismissal for just cause
Collection of evidence of conduct that compromises the relationship of trust between employer and employee. Art. 2119 of the Italian Civil Code (art. 2119 c.c.).
art. 2119 c.c.
07
Dismissals for theft in the workplace
Ascertaining misappropriation and theft of company property. Criminal relevance under art. 624 and art. 646 of the Italian Criminal Code (art. 624 c.p. and art. 646 c.p.).
art. 624 c.p.art. 646 c.p.
08
Dismissals for secondary employment
Verification of unauthorised work, incompatible with sick leave or in conflict with company interests.
09
Misuse of leave — Law 104/1992
Ascertaining improper use of leave under Law 104/92 (L. 104/92). Settled orientation of the Court of Cassation.
Legge 104/1992
10
Unfair competition and customer diversion
Ascertaining unfair practices by competitors, former employees or collaborators. Based on art. 2598 of the Italian Civil Code (art. 2598 c.c.).
art. 2598 c.c.
11
Breach of the non-compete agreement
Verification of compliance with the obligations under art. 2125 of the Italian Civil Code (art. 2125 c.c.), ascertaining activity in competition with the former employer.
art. 2125 c.c.
12
Industrial espionage
Protecting company know-how from unauthorised access, document theft and unlawful disclosure. Relevance of artt. 621-623 of the Italian Criminal Code (artt. 621-623 c.p.).
art. 621 c.p.art. 623 c.p.
13
Patent infringement and trademark counterfeiting
Identifying unlawful production and distribution of counterfeit goods. Protection of industrial property.
Codice della Proprietà Industriale
14
Undercover investigation in companies
Qualified operatives embedded in a corporate setting for the prevention and detection of fraudulent conduct.
15
Mobbing
Collection of witness statements and documentation of persecutory, discriminatory or abusive behaviour in the workplace.
Audience
Who we work for.
The Corporate & Legal branch of Ethix serves three types of interlocutor. We do not work with HR against the employee, nor against the company in favour of the individual. We work on reconstructing the facts.
B
Law firms
Criminal, civil and employment lawyers who need investigative support to build their case.
C
Compliance functions and legal counsel
They need to conduct due diligence on counterparties, suppliers or new hires.
Scenarios
Typical use cases.
For each of these scenarios we design a specific engagement, with defined objectives, time frame and documentary output.
- A resigning engineer is funnelling contacts and know-how to a competitor.
- An employee on recurring sick leave turns out to be professionally active elsewhere.
- An employee's Legge 104/92 leave is systematically used for personal purposes unrelated to caregiving.
- A strategic supplier has an opaque reputation and needs to be vetted before signing the contract.
- A new executive has a CV that requires substantial verification beyond the usual references.
- A company suspects that a product on the market infringes one of its patents or trademarks.
Process
How we work
with lawyers and HR.
Five essential phases, calibrated to your lawyer's litigation strategy or to the internal policy of your HR department.
- 01
Confidential briefing
With the lawyer or HR manager: objective, context, constraints.
- 02
Proportionality and lawfulness
We verify that the engagement is lawful and proportionate to the objective.
- 03
Operational plan and quote
Scope, duration, costs, level of reporting — in writing.
- 04
Operations
On-the-ground and/or intelligence investigation, with interim checks.
- 05
Final report
Tailored to its use (disciplinary, precautionary, on the merits), with a certified date and chain of custody.
Frequently asked questions
The most
frequent questions.
The answers to the recurring questions of those considering a corporate or legal investigation in Milan.
Is a private investigator's report admissible as evidence in an employment dispute?
Yes. The Court of Cassation has confirmed in several rulings (including Cass. civ. sez. lav. n. 25674/2018 and n. 16622/2020) that investigative reports are admissible in employment proceedings, provided the activity was carried out away from the workplace, with respect for the worker's dignity and in compliance with privacy law. The report is assessed by the judge together with the other evidence.
Can an employer always turn to a private investigator?
They can, when there is a well-founded suspicion of unlawful conduct or conduct harmful to the employment relationship (infidelity, unfair competition under art. 2598 c.c. of the Italian Civil Code, abuse of Legge 104/92 leave, feigned illness). The investigation must be proportionate to the suspicion and limited to the worker's conduct outside the performance of their duties.
Is it lawful to investigate an employee on sick leave?
Yes, where there are indications of simulation or of activity incompatible with the declared state of illness. The investigation verifies the worker's outward conduct during the period of sick leave, without intruding on their private sphere beyond what is necessary.
How long does a typical corporate investigation take?
It depends on the objective. A targeted enquiry (abuse of Legge 104, moonlighting) may require 1 to 3 weeks of observation. A pre-contractual reputational due diligence usually concludes within 5-15 working days. Complex unfair competition cases may take 1-2 months.
How much does a corporate investigation in Milan cost?
Corporate investigations are designed ad hoc: the cost depends on the number of operatives, the duration, the complexity of the engagement and the geographic coverage. We do not publish standard price lists. After the initial briefing, Ethix provides a written quote with the agreed scope, timeline and investment, normally within 48 working hours. With no changes mid-engagement.
How is the confidentiality of the company that engages us protected?
Through numbered engagements archived in encrypted form, selective access to the file, and staff bound by confidentiality obligations. We never disclose to other clients, competitors or the media even the existence of an engagement.
Do you work directly with the client's law firm?
Often yes, and we prefer to. Coordinating the investigative plan with the lawyer's litigation strategy increases the usefulness of the evidence gathered and reduces the risk of investigations that do not hold up in court.
Request a conversation
A first
confidential conversation carries no obligation.
We will contact you within 24 hours for a preliminary briefing with your lawyer or your HR team. Operating base in Milan, engagements across Lombardy and all of Italy.