Using a sample of U.S. firms spanning 2001-2008, we examine whether female directors or nonexecutive female directors or female audit committee members affect auditor choice and audit effort measured by audit fees. After correcting for selectivity bias and controlling for other known board, firm...

When we examine all firms in the sample we find that short-term debt is positively associated with earnings management consistent with some prior studies and the debt hypothesis. However, when we focus on high creditworthy (investment grade) firms we find a negative relation between short-term...