NextGen Compliance LLC

We provide compliance consultation services that supplement your existing resources for compliance program planning and execution.  NextGen Compliance LLC founder and CEO is Sharon J. Zealey. Sharon began her career in Cincinnati, Ohio as a commercial litigator. She later served as Deputy Ohio General, Assistant U.S. Attorney, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and international law firm partner with Blank Rome LLP. As outside counsel for The Coca-Cola Company, she was later recruited in house. For seven years she served as Chief Ethics & Compliance Officer for The Coca-Cola Company. She brings the perspective of regulator, litigator and compliance chief. She founded NextGen Compliance LLC in 2015. Sharon was again recruited in house and joined client, Carestream Dental LLC, to establish its compliance program in 2017 and likewise served as VP Compliance for Cox Enterprises in 2018. Sharon has deep experience across several industries in every area of compliance.   

We have experience designing risk-based global compliance programs that achieve business objectives and full compliance with law and regulations.  Reporting to the General Counsel and Audit Committee are essential to your success.  By providing detailed reporting on the highest risks and your plan to mitigate those risks, you will  achieve the high-level oversight that you need to succeed. 

We provide compliance consulting services that are tailored to your business.  We work with chief compliance officers and legal counsel to formulate training, policies and internal investigation plans based upon your company's culture and Code of Conduct.

We perform risk assessments on any aspect of your compliance program based upon the DOJ Guide for corporations. Then we recommend steps to help you create a risk-based approach to compliance. This includes a risk assessment to determine a risk matrix, your highest risks and an action plan to mitigate your key risks. 

Compliance Officers should keep important information on their desktops.  This includes the Department of Justice publication, Evaluation of Corporate Compliance Programs, which can be found at this link:  https://www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/page/file/937501/download.  Key takeaways from the new  guidance can be found at:  https://www.natlawreview.com/article/doj-guidance-evaluation-corporate-compliance-programs-key-takeaways.  This guidance is important because it promotes a risk-based approach to the design and implementation of a corporation's compliance program.  Upon request, we'll be happy to send you the NextGen Compliance Risk Scorecard as a framework for a self-directed risk assessment.  It's based upon the DOJ guidance and can be used for any size business in any industry.