Professional Biography
With more than 40 years of computer industry experience, Brooks Hilliard CMC® CCP is the only actively practicing expert witness in the world who is both a Certified Management Consultant™ (CMC), an International Standards Organization ISO/IEC 17024:2003 accredited certification, and a Certified Computing Professional
(CCP). He is president of Business Automation Associates, Inc., an independent management consulting firm based in Phoenix, Arizona and specializing in computer system selection and problem resolution.
In the course of more than 200 consulting engagements, Mr. Hilliard has worked for firms in a wide variety of industries and professions. Although he has no affiliation with any supplier of computer-based systems of any kind. In his consulting capacity, he has recommended:
- Software from most of the industry’s largest developers, including Oracle (including PeopleSoft and J.D. Edwards), Microsoft, Computer Associates, IBM, AutoDesk, Symantec and numerous other business software developers.
- Systems using computers from IBM, Hewlett-Packard/Compaq, Sun, Dell, Apple and nearly every other major computer manufacturer.
No software or systems developer has a perfect record, however, so Mr. Hilliard has also — on various occasions — been engaged as an expert witness in matters where his clients were opposed to many of these same software developers, systems manufacturers and/or the major independent implementer of their products.
Mr. Hilliard is one of fewer than 15 consultants in the world to attain both the CMC and CCP certifications. His educational background includes and M.B.A. from Harvard Business School with emphasis on small business management and marketing, and a Bachelor of Science degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with Deans’ List academic honors.
In addition, Mr. Hilliard has lectured as a Faculty Associate with the Arizona State University School of Business.
In thirty-plus years of consulting, approximately forty-five percent of Business Automation’s engagements have been expert witness/ consultant projects. Mr. Hilliard has:
- Testified more than 50 times.
- Been engaged in dozens expert witness assignments in more than 30 states.
- Assembled a team of professional associates with complimentary areas of expertise.
These matters have related to computer system non-performance (both software and hardware), recovery of missing and deleted data, the use of fraudulent computer evidence, intellectual property and computer security. His activities have included assistance with case evaluation, development of pre-trial and deposition strategies, evaluation of damages, development of expert opinions and deposition/courtroom testimony. He has been successfully Daubert tested (copies of rulings available on request) and qualified as in expert in both state and federal jurisdictions.
Prior to founding Business Automation in 1980, Mr. Hilliard worked for computer companies where his responsibilities included management positions in software development, sales, marketing, field service, contract negotiations and general management. As a result of this experience, Mr. Hilliard can effectively assess a wide range of computer/legal issues, including: software development risks and responsibilities, computer marketing practices, valuation of computer systems, forensic data recovery and authenticity of dated computer documents.
In addition, Mr. Hilliard has served as a National Board Member and Chairman of the Ethics Committee for the Institute of Management Consultants USA, and has served as a current or past board member for the Arizona Harvard Business School Association, the Arizona M.I.T. Alumni Club, the Arizona Region of the National Conference for Community and Justice, Devereux Foundation (Arizona), Junior Achievement of Central Arizona, the Phoenix 100 Rotary. He has also been active in the State Bar of Arizona Technology Task Force, the College of Certified Management Consultants, the Arizona Technology Council and the Independent Computer Consultants Association. He has done commentary for Public Radio International’s nationally-syndicated MARKETPLACE news program, led seminars for the American Management Association and spoken at numerous computer, management and other professional meetings.
Mr. Hilliard has also authored a book, “Buying a Computer for Your Growing Business, An Insider’s Guide” published by Dow Jones-Irwin.
Born and raised in Los Angeles, Mr. Hilliard has lived in Arizona, California, Massachusetts and Washington, D.C. (where he served as an officer in the U.S. Coast Guard).
