Brooks Hilliard – CMC® CCP

Elite IT Consulting & Expert Testimony Services

Brooks L. Hilliard stands among an exclusive group of fewer than 15 professionals worldwide holding dual certifications as both a Certified Management Consultant (CMC) and Certified Computing Professional (CCP). As founder and President of Business Automation Associates, Inc., a Scottsdale, Arizona-based independent consulting firm, Hilliard brings over three decades of specialized expertise in computer system selection, implementation evaluation, and dispute resolution.

Since establishing his firm in 1980, Hilliard has built a reputation for uncompromising objectivity and independence. Business Automation Associates maintains strict neutrality by abstaining from software development, system implementation, and computer product sales—ensuring conflict-free advisory services for its diverse client portfolio spanning more than 200 organizations across numerous industries.

Litigation Support & Expert Testimony Credentials

Approximately 50% of Business Automation’s client engagements involve litigation support and expert testimony. Hilliard has provided expert testimony in over 70 proceedings and consulted on dozens more cases across 37 states. His expertise addresses critical technology disputes including:

• Enterprise software implementation failures
• Hardware and software performance issues
• Digital forensics and data recovery
• Electronic evidence authentication
• Intellectual property protection
• Computer security breaches

Hilliard’s comprehensive litigation support encompasses case evaluation, pre-trial strategy development, deposition preparation, damage assessment, expert opinion formulation, and persuasive courtroom testimony. Successfully Daubert-tested, he maintains expert qualification credentials in state and federal courts, arbitrations, mediations, and governmental hearings.

Professional Certifications & Leadership

The prestigious CMC designation awarded by the Institute of Management Consultants USA (the American chapter of the global management consultant certification authority) and the CCP credential from the Institute for the Certification of Computer Professionals (endorsed by more than 20 international computing associations) validate Hilliard’s exceptional expertise.

Attaining these elite certifications demanded rigorous evaluation through:

• Comprehensive peer reviews
• Client satisfaction audits
• Technical competency examinations
• Professional ethics interviews
• Ongoing professional education

Hilliard’s commitment to professional ethics extends beyond personal practice—he has served as both a national Board member and Ethics Committee Chairman for the Institute of Management Consultants USA, actively shaping industry standards.

Academic Excellence & Industry Background

Hilliard’s educational foundation combines business acumen with technical mastery:

• Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Harvard Business School, concentrating in small business management and marketing strategies
• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), graduating with Dean’s List distinction

Before founding Business Automation Associates, Hilliard developed multifaceted expertise through roles in software development, technology sales, marketing, field service operations, contract negotiations, and general management at several computer companies. His professional background also includes service as an officer in the U.S. Coast Guard stationed in Washington, D.C.

Enterprise Software Litigation Expertise

Hilliard has established particular authority in enterprise software disputes, serving as a consulting and testifying expert in over 50 cases involving Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), Customer Relationship Management (CRM), and Supply Chain Management (SCM) systems. His balanced experience includes representing both software purchasers and vendors in cases involving:

• Implementation failures and project delays
• Functionality gaps and performance shortfalls
• Contract disputes and scope disagreements
• Allegations of misrepresentation or fraud
• Quality control and testing inadequacies

Notable Enterprise Software Case Outcomes

• Successfully testified for a construction products distributor whose manufacturing ERP implementation failed to deliver essential distribution functionality, contributing to a favorable jury verdict
• Provided expert support for an ERP software developer in litigation involving third-party implementation failures, helping secure a favorable jury decision
• Delivered deposition testimony for a major ERP developer in a state government implementation disrupted by requirement changes, facilitating post-deposition settlement

Software Licensing & IT Contract Analysis

Drawing on extensive experience negotiating and reviewing software licenses and IT agreements, Hilliard provides authoritative interpretation of industry terms, practices, and standards. His contract expertise has proven decisive in cases including:

• Clarifying industry-standard interpretations of “perpetual software license” provisions in a dispute that settled favorably following his deposition
• Testifying in American Arbitration Association (AAA) proceedings regarding disputed software licensing terms, with one ruling upheld in Federal District Court substantially based on his expert opinion
• Evaluating compliance with per-user software licensing metrics, contributing to favorable settlement terms

Intellectual Property Protection

Hilliard has contributed specialized expertise to more than twelve intellectual property cases involving software code, hardware designs, and confidential business information. His intellectual property work includes:

• Expert testimony in copyright litigation concerning unauthorized use of ERP software for third-party support services
• Defense consultation for a Supply Chain Management software developer in two patent infringement cases, contributing to a favorable jury verdict in one matter and settlement in another
• Service as a court-appointed neutral expert to determine software code derivation, with his technical analysis facilitating amicable resolution

Digital Forensics & eDiscovery

Applying forensic methodologies comparable to law enforcement techniques, Hilliard has addressed over 50 electronic discovery matters. His digital forensics expertise encompasses:

• Recovery of deleted or corrupted data
• Authentication of electronic documents
• Investigation of suspected computer fraud
• Analysis of employment dispute evidence
• Examination of potential embezzlement records

Professional Affiliations & Community Engagement

Beyond his consulting practice, Hilliard actively contributes to professional and community organizations:

• Arizona Chapter of the Institute of Management Consultants
• Arizona Harvard Business School Association
• MIT Alumni Club of Phoenix
• Phoenix 100 Rotary
• Devereux Foundation Arizona Advisory Board
• Arizona State Bar Technology Task Force
• Forensic Expert Witness Association
• Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
• Project Management Institute

His thought leadership extends to commentary for Public Radio International’s Marketplace program, seminar leadership for the American Management Association, and speaking engagements at numerous professional conferences. Hilliard is also the author of “Buying a Computer for Your Growing Business: An Insider’s Guide,” published by Dow Jones.

Contact Information

Business Automation Associates, Inc.
11811 North Tatum Boulevard, Suite 3031
Phoenix, Arizona 85028-1632

Phone: (602) 264-9263
Fax: (602) 532-7244
Website:www.ComputerExpertWitness.com