The Guide is written in a non-technical, active-voice, easy-to-read format. The book is useful for directors serving on audit committees, other members of the board of directors, CEOs, CFOs, legal in-house counsels, internal and external auditors, outside legal counsels, and other consultants to audit committees.

It fills a "gap" in the existing literature in that it blends:

1. Observations based on real-world experiences from serving on audit committees
2. Expert knowledge of the standards of external and internal auditors
3. Knowledge of the latest requirements from the New York Stock Exchange, National Association of Securities Dealers/Nasdaq, American Stock Exchange, and the SEC, including the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.

Audit Committees covers subjects rarely discussed, such as the process for terminating an external auditor. This Sixth Edition also features a free, companion CD-ROM containing workpapers, including checklists and document templates that can be put to immediate use.