Practice Support Manager - LegalTech Advisor-Transactional, Litigation, & Forensic Technology

Sidley Austin LLP

March 2003 - Present (22 years 5 months)

At Sidley Austin, Dr. Billings is a catalyst for innovation in legal operations. He focuses on streamlining processes, enhancing service delivery, and integrating emerging technologies that align with legal and business goals. His leadership spans technical oversight, workflow development, and mentoring multidisciplinary teams.

Working closely with attorneys and clients, he navigates evolving legal-technology challenges—from automating data pipelines to designing defensible social media investigations. He provides expert analysis in high-stakes matters involving IP litigation, internal investigations, and global regulatory scrutiny.

Dr. Billings plays a critical role in fostering a culture of innovation, helping the team stay ahead of rapid advancements in AI, analytics, and digital infrastructure. His work underscores a belief that legal technology must anticipate the future, not just react to it.

Academic Reviewer

International Journal of Computer Information Systems and Industrial Management Applications

January 2025 - Present (7 months)

Dr. Billings reviews scholarly submissions across domains such as AI, cybersecurity, and analytics. He brings a balanced and constructive approach to peer review, ensuring that research is rigorous, relevant, and impactful. His reviews are grounded in a deep understanding of both academic research methodology and practical implementation. By evaluating papers for originality, scientific validity, and relevance to the field, he helps uphold the quality and integrity of published work. He regularly collaborates with editorial teams to shape publication standards and contributes to the journal's efforts to bridge theory with real-world technological applications.

Advisory Council Appointment - Big Data Certificate Program

California State University - East Bay

January 2021 - Present (4 years 7 months)

In his advisory capacity, Dr. Billings assists with the evaluation of curriculum development for data science professionals. The program emphasizes applied learning, enabling participants to translate complex datasets into strategic insights. His input ensures the curriculum remains aligned with evolving market needs.

Dr. Billings participates in annual program evaluations, collaborates with faculty to introduce real-world case studies, and facilitates industry partnerships to increase student engagement with emerging technologies. He has also played a key role in expanding the program's focus beyond foundational analytics to include AI ethics, data visualization best practices, and cloud-native tools used in enterprise environments. His contributions directly inform course updates and strategic direction, preparing students for high-impact careers in data-driven roles.

Advisory Board Appointment - Big Data Program

San Francisco State University

May 2020 - Present (5 years 3 months)

As an advisor, Dr. Billings connects academia with industry. He participates in curriculum review, mentorship, and professional development initiatives to equip students with the skills required for a data-driven economy. The program fosters a strong foundation in technical literacy, business acumen, and ethical analytics.

Dr. Billings is actively involved in assessing interdisciplinary modules that merge legal compliance, data science, and emerging technology topics. He regularly engages in classroom visits and guest lectures, where he discusses topics like AI in the legal sector, defensible data handling, and digital transformation. He also mentors students working on capstone projects and provides guidance on career readiness, particularly for those transitioning into roles that combine law, analytics, and strategic operations.

Member of the Board; Advisement -Data Science, Privacy & Compliance

ÖKOLOGIE.ORG

2010 - Present (15 years)

Dr. Billings serves on the board of ÖKOLOGIE.ORG, a San Francisco-based hybrid social enterprise dedicated to public health education, environmental justice, and social equity. The organization operates with a dual structure—combining the impact-driven focus of a low-profit public benefit corporation (L3C) with the nonprofit values of a 501(c)(3)—to tackle complex challenges such as ageism, environmental racism, and discrimination based on sexual orientation.

In his role, Dr. Billings provides comprehensive strategic and technical guidance across several domains. He advises on cloud-based infrastructure, data privacy frameworks, eCommerce enablement, legal compliance systems, and scalable technology platforms. His work ensures that ÖKOLOGIE.ORG can deliver high-impact programs while maintaining rigorous standards of security, accessibility, and operational efficiency.

Dr. Billings also contributes to the organization's thought leadership through its Environmental Health and Sustainability Journal, where he writes on topics that sit at the intersection of technology, public health, and social change. His articles highlight innovative strategies for empowering underrepresented communities through equitable access to digital health tools and education. He has helped guide the organization's digital transformation roadmap and has facilitated collaborations with academic institutions and advocacy groups to advance its mission.

Advisory Board Member

Coalition of Technology Resources for Lawyers (CTRL+)

2015 - January 2025 (10 years)

As an advisory board member of CTRL+, Dr. Billings contributed to shaping the national dialogue on legal innovation and discovery strategy. CTRL+ is a coalition of thought leaders dedicated to improving the legal discovery process through practical, tech-forward approaches that bridge theory and real-world execution.

In this role, Dr. Billings advised on educational programming and led initiatives designed to elevate the role of eDiscovery in the broader legal strategy. He helped formulate best practices for integrating AI tools in privilege review, early case assessment, and large-scale data analysis. He also served as a content contributor for whitepapers and panel sessions addressing defensible automation, metadata risk, and cloud-native data review protocols.

Dr. Billings was instrumental in supporting CTRL+'s open-source philosophy, promoting transparency and collaboration across the legal technology community. Through workshops and advisory briefings, he helped legal professionals adopt scalable, defensible workflows that balanced regulatory compliance with innovation. His contributions advanced CTRL+'s mission to transform eDiscovery into a value-generating practice area and ensure that emerging technologies were leveraged responsibly and effectively.

Advisory Council; Instructor & Lecturer

The Organization of Legal Professionals (OLP)

2010 - January 2018 (8 years)

As a senior member of the advisory council and instructor at The Organization of Legal Professionals (OLP), Dr. Billings contributed to national education initiatives focused on legal technology, litigation support, and paralegal excellence. He developed and delivered graduate-level coursework on a range of topics including cybersecurity, physical and digital security protocols, e-discovery best practices, and emerging legal technologies.

Dr. Billings also served as a guest lecturer for certificate programs in paralegal management and litigation support, offering hands-on instruction in budgeting, forecasting, legal technology evaluation, and profit-and-loss analysis. His courses were designed not only to teach foundational skills but also to empower legal professionals to think strategically and operationally in both firm and corporate settings.

He worked closely with OLP to shape national curriculum standards, establish certification frameworks, and ensure alignment with evolving legal market demands. His efforts supported OLP's broader mission of raising the bar for professional education and compliance in the legal sector. During his tenure, he also helped evaluate educational content providers and participated in accreditation assessments that reinforced OLP's role as a trusted gatekeeper of quality legal education.

Legal Technology Consultant

BEVER, HOFFMAN & HARMS, LLP

February 2003 - March 2003 (2 months)

Following the dissolution of Skjerven Morrill LLP, Dr. Billings joined Bever, Hoffman & Harms LLP as a consultant through his practice, Juristech. There, he implemented e-filing and patent prosecution workflow systems tailored to electronic Information Disclosure Statement (eIDS) optimization and U.S. Patent and Trademark Office compliance. His contributions enhanced productivity and ensured seamless digital adoption at a critical juncture for the firm's IP practice.

Simultaneously, he supported departing partners from Skjerven in standing up independent practices. He provided transition support that included cloud migration, matter management system deployment, and data continuity planning—helping ensure operational integrity and client service during a complex dissolution period.

Juristech

11 years 7 months

Principal Consultant; Legal Technology; Workflow Automation; eDiscovery

March 1999 - March 2003 (4 years 1 month)

Silicon Valley • San Francisco • Philadelphia

During this phase of Juristech's growth, Dr. Billings partnered with Skjerven Morrill LLP to oversee the firm's litigation support and discovery operations. As principal consultant, he led the implementation of advanced legal technologies—designing workflows for eDiscovery, case data analytics, and document production that significantly improved operational scalability and review accuracy.

He managed high-volume domestic and international data collections, advised firms on early document management systems, and provided consultative support for trial preparation and courtroom technology. His contributions positioned Juristech as a forward-thinking consultancy for technology-enabled legal operations.

Principal Consultant; Real Estate & Legal Technology

May 1993 - March 1999 (5 years 11 months)

Silicon Valley • San Francisco • Philadelphia

In the company's early years, Dr. Billings repositioned Juristech as a specialized consultancy focused on legal technology and marketing strategy for the legal and real estate sectors. He provided automation solutions for client onboarding, practice management, and digital marketing infrastructure.

In 1997, Juristech expanded into early-stage online services, including embedded collaboration platforms, dynamic content management systems, and professional networking prototypes that predated mainstream tools. These offerings positioned the firm as an early innovator in digital client services and internal firm automation.

*The JurisTech domain was sold to Juristech Associates of CH in 1999.

Principal Consultant; Estate Planning

September 1991 - April 1993 (1 year 8 months)

Silicon Valley

Originally founded as California Will & Trust Co., the firm worked in collaboration with attorneys, brokers, and financial planners to deliver integrated estate planning and asset protection services. Dr. Billings led the development and commercialization of WillScribe and TrustScribe—pioneering software tools that simplified document drafting and compliance for trusts and wills.

Beyond software innovation, the organization partnered with the Legal Aid Society of San Jose to offer pro bono estate-planning support to terminally ill patients in low-income communities. This combination of technological innovation and public service defined Juristech's founding ethos and established its reputation for both social responsibility and technical leadership.

National Litigation & Practice Support Mgr

Skjerven Morrill, LLP

April 1996 - January 2003 (6 years 10 months)

San Jose • San Francisco • Austin • Newport Beach

At Skjerven Morrill LLP, Dr. Billings held progressively senior roles during a pivotal era of digital transformation in legal services. As National Litigation & Practice Support Manager, he led the design and execution of firm-wide legal technology strategies that significantly enhanced case management, litigation readiness, and operational efficiency.

He oversaw a distributed team of more than two dozen paralegals and litigation support specialists across offices in San Jose, San Francisco, Newport Beach, and Austin. While maintaining over 1,700 billable hours annually, he also served as the firm's on-site trial coordinator for complex litigation before U.S. District Courts, the International Trade Commission, and other tribunals.

Dr. Billings pioneered the deployment of one of the first web-based discovery platforms—FirmNet™—an early entrant into browser-based review and collaboration. He architected defensible eDiscovery workflows, implemented relational databases for patent royalty modeling, and developed grading matrices for workforce restructuring during firmwide right-sizing efforts.

He was also responsible for international data collection initiatives across Korea, Japan, Singapore, and Taiwan, developing methodologies that respected both jurisdictional privacy laws and evidentiary standards. His innovations extended to automation of paralegal workflows, structured litigation templates, and support models for firmwide knowledge management.

In addition, Dr. Billings developed and optimized IP-related workflow solutions such as ePAVE (electronic Patent Application and Validation Environment) and eIDS (electronic Information Disclosure Statements), both of which streamlined patent filing compliance and contributed to firmwide productivity gains. His work during this period helped lay the groundwork for the scalable, technology-driven legal service models adopted in subsequent years.

Legal Project Manager

Quorum Estrin

February 1995 - March 1996 (1 year 2 months)

Mountain View, CA

During his tenure at Quorum Estrin, Dr. Billings initially supported and later supervised legal project teams on engagements for clients including Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, Lockheed, and DuPont. His responsibilities included managing teams of paralegals and attorneys on high-volume, onsite document collections, ensuring quality control and workflow efficiency in complex litigation and investigation matters.

He contributed to legal support efforts in Department of Defense contract matters, securities investigations, and accounting compliance audits, applying his expertise in data collection and database management. Dr. Billings helped implement early standards for managing sensitive information and coordinating multi-office review teams—skills that would shape best practices in legal project management for years to come.

Researcher

University of San Francisco Center for Law and Global Justice

1994 - 1995 (1 year)

Dr. Billings contributed to international legal research at the University of San Francisco's Center for Law and Global Justice, focusing on post-conflict justice initiatives in Southeast Asia. As part of the Cambodia Law and Democracy Project, he assisted in documenting atrocities committed by the Khmer Rouge and helped lay the foundation for the creation of war crimes tribunals.

His work supported the Center's broader mission of strengthening legal institutions and promoting human rights in transitional societies. This included initiatives in Vietnam to train judges and improve access to justice, and later expanded to Indonesia. His contributions during this period emphasized the role of legal research and education in supporting democratic reforms and advancing accountability for crimes against humanity.

Executive Director & Board Chairman

HCAA - Project Blossom

1992 - 1994 (2 years)

As co-founder and Executive Director of HCAA's Project Blossom, Dr. Billings led a grassroots initiative in partnership with the City of San Jose to address urban blight, community safety, and systemic inequities in underserved neighborhoods. He established the organization's board of directors and served as its chief liaison to local government, coordinating across City Hall, emergency services, and public health agencies.

He facilitated policy roundtables with city leadership on issues ranging from gang prevention to legal access and urban redevelopment. Through a series of legal education workshops—developed in collaboration with the Santa Clara County Legal Aid Society—he helped residents understand their rights and access critical support services.

Dr. Billings also spearheaded volunteer-driven youth engagement programs and successfully secured foundation and corporate grants to sustain operations. His work at HCAA exemplified the integration of legal empowerment and community-based problem-solving to drive meaningful civic change.