Donald Billings

Background

Dr. Billings has led business, process, and technology innovation at global law firms, nonprofit organizations, and Fortune 100 companies over a 20-year career in leadership, consultative, and entrepreneurial roles. His domain expertise comprises a breadth of managerial, legal, and computer-science related disciplines.

Dr. Billings currently serves as a member of the Legal Technology Consulting team at Sidley Austin, LLP, where he provides internal and client-facing technical consulting in eDiscovery, digital forensics, and data science and product management. Donald also serves as a subject matter expert, providing technical analysis and written testimony across various practices; including, intellectual property litigation, internal investigations, white-collar cases, and employment matters.

Donald also serves as a member of the advisory board for San Francisco State's big data program, an advisory council member and instructor for the Organization of Legal Professionals, an advisory board member for the Coalition of Technology Resources for Lawyers (CTRL), and a member of the board for ÖKOLOGIE.ORG. Previously, Donald held consulting and management positions with the Silicon Valley-based intellectual property boutique, Skjerven Morrill, LLP, and he began his career as a principal consultant at JurisTech.

Education

San Francisco State Universty
Certificate, Big Data 2020

The project-based, interdisciplinary curriculum is designed to train and develop both technical and analytical skills, using data to drive decisions and identify unforeseen customer needs. In the Big Data Certificate Program, students will receive hands-on training to prepare them to ask relevant questions, manage and lead others, and communicate data related insights and strategies to senior management. Students will also leave with a Professional Big Data Capstone Portfolio of tools and resources to apply back at their organizations.

Walden University College of Management and Technology
Doctor of Business Administration (DBA), Technology Entrepreneurship 2019

The semi-resident doctoral of business administration (DBA) specializing in technology entrepreneurship focuses on forward thinking, socially conscious solutions that drive innovation in the knowledge economy. Coursework included topics such as corporate social responsibility, sustainable supply-chain management, leadership of globally diverse organizations, and operational agility in the international marketplace. Specialty emphasis in leveraging IT-based solutions for competitive advantage; building strategic operations adaptable to the global economy; and promoting smart, sustainable growth at the vanguard of positive social change. Scholarship course-work with the University of Liverpool in data science & big data analytics.

Walden Universtiy College of Management and Technology
Master of Science (M.Sc.), Leading Innovation & Technology 2013

A scholar-practitioner modeled master's program with an emphasis in positive organizational change, sustainable management, and ethical, vision-oriented leadership. - Specialty emphasis in leveraging technology and analyzing emerging technologies to achieve competitive advantages in the global marketplace, nurturing innovation and cultivating technology development; aligning business needs with technology; and managing processes to ensure technology solutions enhance an organization’s competitive position.

Walden Universtiy College of Management and Technology
Graduate Diploma, Data Management 2020

A 12 Unit Post Graduate Diploma focusing on principles of data management and the application of techniques for inference and discovery in large data sets. Emphasis on statistical inference, exploratory data analysis, data mining, text mining, and machine learning for predictive modeling. Designing & Constructing Object-Oriented Programs; Data Modeling Using Entity-Relationship Diagrams; Data Storage Manipulation & Queries Using SQL; Big Data Normalization Concepts & Data Warehouse Architectures; Data Warehouse Modeling & Data Analytics; Acquisition, Storage, Retrieval & Analysis Within Data Warehouses; Data Marts, Dashboards, & Data Visualization; Tableau & Tableau Server; Geographic Information System.

Villanova University
Post Graduate Diploma, Information Systems Security Management · Project Management 2011

A 16 unit cross-disciplinary information-security & project management master certificate focusing on cyber-terrorism, computer forensics, and systems security. Emphasis on best practices for forensic investigations and evidence handling, federal and state privacy laws, search and seizure processes, and compliance requirements for electronically stored information (ESI). The Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC) •Risk identification, assessment, prevention, control, and mitigation •IS security policies, procedures, and design models •Incident response and disaster recovery •Firewalls and intrusion detection systems •Identity management systems & biometrics •Access control and authentication methods •RADIUS, TACACS+, SMTP and POP •Wireless protocols, vulnerabilities, and site security •Hardening the network and applications •Hashing, encryption and, digital signatures and cryptography •SSL/TLS, HTTPS and LDAP •Physical security • Disaster Recovery •Digital Forensics

Tulane University - A.B. Freeman School of Business
MBA Certificate, Business Administration - General Management 2003

Tulane’s MBA Certificate program included an intensive series of executive business courses designed to immerse students in the material MBA students encounter in the first year of business school. Topics included: Utilizing statistics to make conclusions based on a sample of data with a focus on acceptance sampling; marketing management examined as a process of mutually satisfying exchange as a function of strategically integrated product, price, promotion and distribution strategies; the accounting equation, the accounting cycle, financial statements, financial statement ratio analysis, cost concepts, and cost-volume-profit analysis; concepts and tools used in analyzing the investment and financing decisions made within firms including, the time value of money, stock and bond valuation and capital budgeting

Touro College
B.Sc (Comp. Sci.), Magna Cum Laude, Computer Science / Software Engineering 2001

Applied computer science program with an emphasis in web services engineering, object oriented programming, application design /debugging, and database architecture. Specialty projects focused on the development of secure B2B and B2C enterprise systems, the deployment of e-business processes, and service-oriented architecture (SOA). A Branch campus of Touro College and University System.

Publications & Professional Panels

Disruptive Innovation Within the Legal Services Ecosystem
International Journal of Applied Management and Technology, May 2020

Many firms have done little to address the opportunities and threats presented by potentially disruptive technology (DT), such as artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML). The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies that some law firm leaders use to address the potentially detrimental influences of DT on their organizations. The systems approach to management was employed as the conceptual framework. Data were collected from 6 participants at 2 international law firms with offices in California, using semi-structured interviews and organizational artifacts. Data were analyzed using inductive and deductive coding and thematic analysis, resulting in 4 themes: (1) recognizing the legal ecosystem and legal firms are open systems, but organizational subsystems often function as semi-closed systems; (2) acknowledging that while DT represents the most significant potential challenge in the near future, the immediate challenge is improving technology, which requires organizational adjustments; (3) recognizing the need for firms to invest more heavily in innovation generation activities; and (4) realizing the need for increased utilization of augmenting technologies, such as AI or ML, to streamline non-advisory outputs. The findings of this study suggest that, while DI may pose a moderate threat, there are also significant advantages to adopting DI as a formal aspect of organizational strategy. The results of this study may contribute to social change by outlining ways in which firms can lower costs to clients while increasing access to legal services for those in underserved communities.

Disruptive Innovation within Professional Services
American Society for Quality (ASQ) – Innovation Division, May 2020

Learning Objectives: What is dissipative innovation and how is differentiate from other forms of innovation strategy such as incremental or sustaining innovations? Cutting through the hype. How to differentiate between innovative products and marketing hyperbole. How to foster disruptive thinking within the organization. Abstract Many professional firms have done little to address the opportunities and threats presented by potentially disruptive technology (DT), such as artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML). By applying established frameworks, organizations can better align their offensive and defensive strategies related to the system effects of disruptive technologies on their organizations. In this webinar we will discuss the ways in which technology can disrupt an entire business ecosystem; the benefits of leveraging sustaining technologies to reduce waste related to non-advisory outputs; and the benefits of engaging in proactive innovation generation.

Panel: How to Sell to Law Firms and Legal Ops
U.C. Hastings - LexLab, Feb 2020

A Panel discussion for Legal Technology Fouinders on how to sell to legal customers from all sides of the legal profession, as well as an emphasis on the law firm sales cycle

Disruptive Innovation Within the Legal Services Ecosystem
ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global, August 2020

Abstract: Most law firms have done little to address the opportunities and threats related to potentially disruptive technology (DT), such as artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML). The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies that law firm leaders in the United States used to address the potentially detrimental influences of DT, such as AI and ML, on their organizations. The systems approach to management was employed as the conceptual framework. Data were collected from 6 participants at 2 international law firms with offices in California using semistructured interviews and organizational artifacts. Data were analyzed using Miles, Huberman, and Saldana’s data analysis method, resulting in 4 themes: recognizing the legal ecosystem and legal firms are open systems, but organizational subsystems often function as semiclosed systems; acknowledging that while DT represents the most significant potential challenge in the near future, the immediate challenge is improving technology, which requires organizational adjustments; recognizing the need for firms to invest more heavily in innovation generation activities; and realizing the need for increased utilization of augmenting technologies, such as AI or ML, to streamline nonadvisory outputs. The findings of this study might support best practices for addressing DT and contribute to social change by outlining ways in which firms can lower costs to clients while increasing access to legal services for those in underserved communities.

Hot Topics in eDiscovery
eDiscovery Speaker Series CLE, April 2018

2018 has ushered in a number of key eDiscovery developments that clients and counsel should understand. These developments include key procedural issues regarding non-waiver orders and ESI preservation questions, technological advances influencing the discovery of relevant communications, and a new round of cyber-attacks and data breaches. This program will address these developments and spotlight best practices for addressing the issues.

The New Information Governance Playbook for Addressing Digital Age Threats
The Richmond Journal of Law and Technology, April 2017

The New IG Playbook for Addressing Threats from Personal Clouds, Cyber Attacks, and the IOT, Presented by CTRL+
Relativity Fest - CTRL+ Initiative, Oct 2016

Organizations must address problems arising from electronic threats beyond the realm of e-discovery. This includes recognizing the nature and scope of threats posed by personal clouds, cyber attacks, and the Internet of Things; developing actionable policies and enforcement mechanisms to protect against and strengthen vulnerabilities; and understanding how analytics can help enforce internal protocols and detect cyber risks.

So You Think You’re Smart? IQ vs. EQ for Legal Technology Managers
OLP eJournal, April 2014

Published in the OLP eJournal, KNOW Magazine, Reality Check Blog, and The Estrin Report - Article discusses the need for wider adoption of EQ by technology professionals and managers. Although IQ plays an important role in personal success, especially in complex disciplines such as the sciences, studies have demonstrated that emotional intelligence—or EQ—can play an even more important role. In fact, experts in this field argue that IQ contributes only 20% to life success.

Leader and Peer Group Influences on Social, Political, and Economic Stratification
M.Sc Capstone / Thesis, July 2013

Abstract My research examined the systems theory-based outcomes on the causal relationships among overtly negative leadership styles, peer group influences, and negative political discourse. Through a qualitative review-based meta-analysis organized around several social and economic models that characterize past research, I examine the effects these behaviors have on feedback loops that lead to social and economic stratification. The compounding effects of social construction, mental models, and affinity bias are examined within this context. Overall, this research indicates that stakeholders, such as social institutions, media outlets, and political organizations, may mitigate social and economic stratification and negative political discourse by adopting more socially responsible leadership and communication strategies. New strategies should include an acknowledgment of their role in perpetuating these new conditions. My findings suggest that even moderate adjustments in communication and leadership structure could reduce societal conflict and improve public discourse.

Introduction to Data Security Practices for Legal Professionals
The Organization for Legal Professionals, June 2013

Developed curriculum addressing the security challenges facing litigation support managers, lawyers, and other legal professionals. Topics include data security, data breach, physical security, vendor management, chain of custody, NIST Cybersecurity Framework, regulatory & compliance issues.

Chain Reaction - America's Toxic Love Affair with Chain Restaurants (UrbanSculpt's Book-a-Day Series)
UrbanSculpt Press, March 2013

An informative overview of the many ways modern eating habits and our love for comfort foods are affecting obesity and the overall health of the average American. Many of our most beloved dishes act as toxic time bombs, contributing to an unsustainable health epidemic in our country. A recent study revealed that several chain-restaurant comfort-foods contain more than 5,000 calories in a single entrée, several times the recommended daily allowance. We explain the risks and foods to avoid on your path back to a life and body in balance. UrbanSculpt's Book-a-Day series was developed to provide our readers with a knowledgeable, insightful, and sometimes provocative perspective of issues surrounding environmental-health, sustainability, positive sexuality, and whole-body wellness. Each volume typically contains less than 20,000 words and is designed to be consumed in a single, one-hour reading session.

Panelist: eDiscovery Issues and Trends
LegalTech West Coast, June 2009

Unraveling the talk and predictions on where E-Discovery is going and managing the vast amount of data through records and information management. Issues being considered by corporations, law firms, service providers as well as the bench and emerging trends

Desktops vs. Laptops vs. Handhelds: Desktop Computers will soon be replaced with laptops and PDAs
Law Office Computing, May 2002

This article foretold a disruption of the desktop computing market within the legal field as lawyers and other professionals sought to become more mobile. Emphasis was placed on the rise of pre-tablet technologies such as Palm and WindowsCE PDA style tools.

Employment/Board Affiliations

Sidley Austin LLP
Northern California Manager of Litigation & Practice Support — March 2003 - Present

Dr. Billings currently serves as a managing legal-technology consultant and product leader who drives innovation through his expertise in integrated project management, software engineering, and business strategy. He contributes to the creation of technology-based business units and internal systems to enhance productivity, improve quality, and build additional revenue streams for the department. As a member of the senior leadership team, he contributes to the development and implementation of the department's strategic planning, while leading a talented group of practice-support professionals, eDiscovery-consultants, product-managers, patent-agents, and paralegals. Dr. Billings also provides consulting services on behalf of the firm's practicing professionals and clients in complex legal-technology topics such as legacy systems, social media collections/investigations, digital forensics, process automation, and data science. In addition, Dr. Billings frequently serves as a subject matter expert, providing technical analysis and written testimony on variety of matters related to intellectual property litigation, internal investigations, white-collar cases, employment matters, and anti-corruption investigations.

San Francisco State Universty
Advisory Board Appointment - Big Data Program — May 2020 - Present

As a member of the advisory board for the college of extended learning, I participate in enhancing the reputation and quality of the School through a strategic review of the credit and noncredit offerings to the community, as well as helping to build the program’s value to the business community; provide experience to the faculty and students through occasional classroom visits, forums and conferences, and input on our programs; and promote the School’s goal of linking industry with academia to help ensure that our work is relevant and benefits the business community; and participate as a speaker, mentor, and panelist. The project-based, interdisciplinary curriculum is designed to train and develop both technical and analytical skills, using data to drive decisions and identify unforeseen customer needs. In the Big Data Certificate Program, students will receive hands-on training to prepare them to ask relevant questions, manage and lead others, and communicate data related insights and strategies to senior management. Students will also leave with a Professional Big Data Capstone Portfolio of tools and resources to apply back at their organizations.

ÖKOLOGIE.ORG
Member of the Board; Advisement -Data Science, Privacy & Compliance — May 2010 - Present

ÖKOLOGIE.ORG is a San Francisco-based hybrid social enterprise that combines the benefits of a charitable-nonprofit 501(c)(3), with the social change aspect of a low-profit public, benefit L3C. Our social and charitable mission is to democratize public health education while empowering those in underprivileged communities to overcome the debilitating health effects often associated with ageism, environmental racism, and discrimination based on sexual orientation. Donald provides strategic guidance related to the organization's innovation initiatives, technology architecture, and site design. He is responsible for helping align the organization's technology with its business goals. He also assists with the procurement and implementation of the company's legal compliance, eCommerce, and cloud-based business systems. He writes about social change and sustainability issues for the organization's Environmental Health and Sustainability Journal.

The Organization of Legal Professionals (OLP)
Advisory Council; Instructor & Lecturer — April 2010 - Present

Graduate level instructor for the Technology and Concepts (Advanced Practices) portion of the Litigation Support Management Certificate program with a focus on physical security, data security, and cybersecurity practices for legal professionals. Guest lecturer for the Fundamentals of Paralegal Management and Advanced Paralegal Management certificate programs focusing on financial controls, budgeting, forecasting, and analyzing profit & loss statements. The OLP is a professional organization establishing guidelines and standards for the legal field, with an emphasis on e-discovery.   The organization: evaluates compliance with the standards; recognizes organizations and programs which demonstrate compliance; serves as a resource on quality certification; certifies educational providers that meet The OLP's standards.   The Purpose of the organization is to promote the common business interest of the legal community, establish guidelines and standards for legal professionals on e-discovery and other topics, evaluate compliance with same, and serve as a resource on quality certification.   Members of The OLP include top level professionals: lawyers, judges, e-discovery managers, technicians, paralegals, case managers, litigation support managers, administrators, vendors, software developers, consultants, and others

Coalition of Technology Resources for Lawyers (CTRL+)
Advisory Board Member — May 2015 - Present

CTRL+ is an industry education and research group committed to the development of practical and proactive guidance for lawyers facing the complexities and challenges inherent in the discovery process, and specifically the document review process. CTRL believes that eDiscovery should be strategic, not just tactical. CTRL also believes that technology is a facilitator of better outcomes in litigation, but only when it operates in concert with expert legal advice. When this union of law and technology occurs then the aspirations of the Rules of Civil Procedure can be attained. CTRL is founded on an open source principle and believes that open discourse will provide the opportunity for discovery of better solutions. CTRL is a forum for the discussion of practical solutions for legal professionals by legal professionals.

BEVER, HOFFMAN & HARMS, LLP
Legal Technology Consultant (Contract)— Feb 2003 - March 2003

Following the dissolution of Skjerven Morrill, Donald contracted with Bever, Hoffman & Harms LLP (through his consultancy, Juristech) where he provided business-process consulting services relating to electronic patent applications & eIDS workflow. During this same period, Donald was retained to assist the Partners at Skjerven LLP with dissolution and wind-down procedures. He counseled the attorneys on the implementation of automated practice solutions in their individual successor practices. Donald also coordinated the transfer of technology and critical data with Sidley Austin Brown & Wood and Pillsbury Winthrop.

Juristech
Principal Consultant; Legal Technology; Workflow Automation; eDiiscovery — March 1999 - March 2003

In 1999, Juristech contracted with Skjerven Morrill, LLP for the management of the Firm’s automated litigation support services where Donald served as the principal consultant while providing onsite support to Firm. The organization was later retained to assist with the dissolution and wind-down processes when the firm closed in 2003.

Principal Consultant; Real Estate & Legal Technology — May 1993 - March 1999

In 1993, Donald implemented the company’s transition to JurisTech, realigning the focus toward providing technology consulting, marketing services, and automation solutions to the legal and real-estate industries. The organization further expanded their services in 1997 to include the development of first to market embedded collaboration, social networking, and dynamic, content-management hosting platforms.

Principal Consultant; Estate Planning — September 1991 - April 1993

Founded in 1991 as California Will & Trust Co., the company initially collaborated with real estate brokers, financial planners, attorneys, and other professionals in providing one-stop estate-planning, tax, and wealth preservation services. The organization developed and marketed WillScibe and TrustScibe, early-market estate-planning software and document assembly solutions. During this period, the organization also allied with Legal Aid Society of San Jose to provide pro bono estate-planning benefits on behalf of terminally ill patients living in undeserved communities.

Skjerven Morrill, LLP
National Litigation & Practice Support Mgr— April 1996 - January 2003

Donald held 3 positions while at Skjerven, each with increasing responsibility. He directly supervised, trained, and mentored a combination of 25-30 contract and full-time paralegals and litigation support professionals across 4 cities while averaging 1,700 billable hours per year. He cultivated extensive trial experience, serving as the onsite trial coordinator for numerous cases before US District Courts, International Trade Commission, Federal Circuit, and the International Gaming Commission. Following a promotion in 1998, he supported and then managed the Firm's automated litigation support services, providing technical consulting and hands-on support in the areas of e-discovery, computer forensics, and database design & administration. He contributed to the successful development and launch of FirmNet™, a first-to-market web-based eDiscovery solution. He served as project manager for both traditional and e-discovery based projects, and conducted document and data collections domestically and internationally, including onsite collections in Taiwan, Korea, Singapore, and Japan. Donald designed grading matrices used in the firm’s RIF programs. He optimized departmental workflow by eliminating redundancies and automating some paralegal support operations. He created innovative procedures related to ePAVE and eIDS patent submission workflows, and developed data modeling solutions used in royalty calculations and licensing agreements. He conducted technical research of ‘at issue’ products and aided in the research and procurement of technical evidence. He helped automate research processes by leveraging a combination data-aggregation and push-technology tool to monitor target companies and track tech industry trends.

University of San Francisco Center for Law and Global Justice
National Litigation & Practice Support Mgr— April 1994 - April 1995

Assisted with research projects related to alleged atrocities perpetrated by the Khmer Rouge and the establishment of war crimes tribunals for the prosecution of genocide. The Cambodia Law and Democracy project was dedicated to building institutions to support the rule of law with justice. In the mid-1990s, the law school began similar work in Vietnam, focusing primarily on training judges. By 1999, USF was also active in Indonesia. That year the Center for Law and Global Justice was founded to serve as the umbrella organization for university pursuits relating to global justice

HCAA - Project Blossom
National Litigation & Practice Support Mgr— April 1994 - April 1995

Donald co-founded and managed a community-based urban blight abatement organization in partnership with the City of San Jose's Project Blossom Program. He formed the board of directors and acted as the liaison between City officials, local government, and residents living in distressed urban communities. He facilitated and participated in roundtable sessions with City Council, Mayor's Office, and the heads of City Emergency Services. Coordinated legal education seminars in cooperation with Santa Clara County Legal Aid Society, managed volunteers in anti-gang programs, and secured grant funding from foundations (Community Foundation of Silicon Valley), businesses, and local organizations.

Charitable/Volunteer Affiliations

• Human Rights campaign
• ACLU of Northern California
• Center for Inquiry
• SF Jazz