At the interface of law and accounting: An examination of a trend toward a reduction in the scope of auditor liability to third parties in the common law countries

“The purposes of this article are threefold. … to identify court decisions and statutes from the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand that have slowed or reversed the expansion of auditor liability to nonclients for negligence…to examine the trend in light of the different legal standards that have been used by different countries in deciding which third parties have a right to sue accountants for negligent misrepresentation…to enhance and update the knowledge of accountants, attorneys, standard setters, regulators, and educators about auditors’ legal responsibilities to nonclients for negligence.” (p.175